3   SMT    775 


EGO: 


HIS     TRANSFORMATION     FROM    A    RAW 
RECRUIT  TO  A  VETERAN       X     .X      & 


BY  JOHN  MCELROY 


BOOK  No.  1 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  NATIONAL  TRIBUNE,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 


XT' 


SI   KLEQQ 


His  TRANSFORMATION  FROM  A  RAW  RECRUI- 
TO  A  VETERAN, 


BY  JOHN  MCELROY.  ' 


PUBLISHED    BY 

THE    NATIONAL    TRIBUNE    CO., 
WASHINGTON,  D.   C. 


SECOND     EDITION — ENLARGED     AND    REVISED. 

COPYRIGHT     IQIO 
BY    THE    NATIONAL    TRIBUNE    CO. 


PREFACE. 

"Si  Klegg,  of  the  200th  Ind.,  and  Shorty,  his 
Partner,"  were  born  more  than  25  years  ago  in  the 
brain  of  John  McElroy,  editor  of  THE  NATIONAL 
TRIBUNE,  who  invented  the  names  and  characters, 
outlined  the  general  plan,  and  wrote  a  number  of 
the  chapters.  Subsequently,  the  editor,  having  many 
other  important  things  pressing  upon  his  attention, 
called  in  an  assistant  to  help  on  the  work,  and  this 
assistant,  under  the  direction  and  guidance  of  the 
editor,  wrote  some  of  these  chapters.  Subse- 
quently, without  the  editor's  knowledge  or  consent, 
the  assistant  adopted  all  the  material  as  his  own, 
and  expanded  it  into  a  book  which  had  a  limited 
sale  and  then  passed  into  the  usual  oblivion  of  short- 
lived subscription  books. 

The  sketches  in  this  first  number  are  the  original 
ones  published  in  THE  NATIONAL  TRIBUNE  in  1885-6, 
revised  and  enlarged  somewhat  by  the  editor. 

Those  in  the  second  and  all  following  numbers 
appeared  in  THE  NATIONAL  TRIBUNE  when  the 
editor,  John  McElroy,  resumed  the  story  in  1897,  12 
years  after  the  first  publication,  and  continued  it 
for  the  unprecedented  period  of  seven  years,  with 
constantly  growing  interest  and  popularity.  They 
gave  "Si  Klegg"  a  nation-wide  and  enduring  celeb- 
rity. Gen.  Lew  Wallace,  the  foremost  literary  man 
of  his  day,  pronounced  "Si  Klegg"  the  "great  idyl 
of  the  war." 

920575 


Vill  PREFACE. 

How  true  they  are  to  nature  every  veteran  can 
abundantly  testify  from  his  own  service.  Really,  only 
the  name  of  the  regiment  was  invented.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  there  were  several  men  of  the  name 
of  Josiah  Klegg  in  the  Union  Army,  and  who  did 
valiant  service  for  the  Government.  They  had  ex- 
periences akin  to,  if  not  identical  with,  those  nar- 
rated here,  and  substantially  every  man  who  faith- 
fully and  bravely  carried  a  musket  in  defense  of  the 
best  Government  on  earth  had  sometimes,  if  not 
often,  experiences  of  which  those  of  Si  Klegg,  Shorty 
and  the  boys  are  strong  reminders. 

Many  of  the  illustrations  in  this  first  number  are 
by  the  late  Geo.  Y.  Coffin,  deceased,  a  talented  artist, 
whose  work  embellished  THE  NATIONAL  TRIBUNE 
for  many  years.  He  was  the  artist  of  THE  NATIONAL 
TRIBUNE  until  his  lamented  and  premature  death, 
and  all  his  military  work  was  done  by  daily  consulta- 
tion, instruction  and  direction  of  the  editor  of  THE 
NATIONAL  TRIBUNE. 

THE  NATIONAL  TRIBUNE. 


CONTENTS. 


CONTENTS 

PACK. 

CHAPTER  I. — Going  to  War;  Si  Klegg's  Complete  Equipment 

and  What  Became  of  It 15 

CHAPTER  II. — The  Old  Canteen;  the  Many  and  Queer  Uses 

to  Which  It  was  at  Last  Put 25 

CHAPTER  III. — The  Deadly  Bayonet;  It  is  Used  for  Nearly 
Everything  Else  than  for  Prodding  Men 31 

CHAPTER  IV.— The  Awful  Hardtack;  the  Hard  and  Solid 

Staff  of  Military  Life 37 

CHAPTER  V. — Fat  Pork ;  Indispensable  Body  Timber  for 

Patriotism  47 

CHAPTER  VI. — Detailed  as  Cook;  Si  Finds  Rice  Another 

Innocent  with  a  Great  Deal  of  Cussedness  in  It 54 

CHAPTER  VII. — In  the  Awkward  Squad;  Si  Has  Many  Trib- 
ulations Learning  the  Manual  of  Arms 64 

CHAPTER  VIII. — On  Company  Drill;  Si  Gets  Tangled  in  the 

Moves  of  the  Evolutions 72 

CHAPTER  IX. — Si  Gets  a  Letter;  and  Writes  one  to  Pretty 

Annabel,  Under  Difficulties  79 

CHAPTER  X. — Si  and  the  Doctors;  He  Joins  the  Pale  Pro- 
cess-ion at  Sick-call  89 

CHAPTER  XI. — The  Plague  of  the  Soldier;  Introduction  to 

''One  Who  Sticketh  Closer  than  a  Brother" 96 

CHAPTER  XII. — A  Wet  Night;  the  Depravity  of  an  Army 

Tent  Reveals  Itself  no 

CHAPTER  XIII.— Si  "Straggled;"  and  the  Other  Boys  Made  it 

Mighty  Lively  for  Him  121 

CHAPTER  XIV. — Si  and  the  Mules;  One  Day's  Rich  Expe- 
rience as  Company  Teamster 132 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER  XV. — Under  Fire ;  Si  Has  a  Fight,  Captures  a 

Prisoner,  and  Gets  Promoted , 142 

CHAPTER  XVI. — One  of  the  "Xon-Commish ;"  a  Night's  Ad- 
ventures as  "Corporal  of  the  Guard" 153 

CHAPTER  XVII. — Foraging  on  the  Way ;  Si  Has  Some 

Varied  Experiences  with  Southern  Products 167 

CHAPTER  XVIII.— A  Sunday  Off;  Si  and  Shorty  Get  a 

Much-Needed  Wash-up  1 79 

CHAPTER  XIX. — A  Close  Call ;  Corporal  Klegg  Has  an  Ex- 
citing Adventure  Guarding  a  Forage  Train 189 

CHAPTER  XX.— "The  Sweet  Sahbath ;"  How  the  Blessed 

Day  of  Rest  Was  Spent  in  the  Army 207 

CHAPTER  XXI. — Si  and  Short}'  Were  Rapidly  Learning  the 
Great  Military  Truth  That  in  the  Army  the  Most  Likely 
Thing  to  Happen  is  Something  Entirely  Unlikely 221 

CHAPTER  XXII. — A  Night  of  Song — Home-Sickness  and  Its 

Outpouring  in  Music 234 


Xll  CONTENTS. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE. 

Si  Decides  to  Enlist  17 

Off  to  the  War  , 19 

As  Si  Looked  When  He  Landed  at  Louisville 21 

Si's   Load  Begins  to   Get  Heavy 23 

Si's  Chum,  "Shorty"  Elliott 26 

The  Divers  Uses  of  the  Good  Old  Canteen 29 

What   the    Bayonet   was    Good    For 33 

As  Maria  Pictured  Si  Using  His  Bayonet 35 

He   Tried   His    Back   Teeth 39 

He  Tries  the  Butt  of  His  Gun  on   It 41 

The  Best  Way  After  All 45 

The  Veteran  Talks  to  Si 49 

Drawing  Ration?    51 

"All  Right,  Boss ;  Dat's  a  Go." 52 

Si   Falls   Out  With   His   Food 55 

Si  Thinks  it  Over 57 

The   Trouble    Begins    59 

The   Rice   Gets   the   Bulge 61 

Si  Makes  the  Acquaintance  of  the  Guard  House 62 

Brought  His  Gun  Down  on  the  Man's  Foot 65 

"Right   Shoulder    Shift— Arms !"    67 

"Fix — Bayonets  !" 69 

Don't  Care  a  Continental 73 

"Right— Face  !" 75 

"Forward — March  !"    76 

"Company — Right   Wheel !"    77 

It's  from  Annabel    8  r 

Si   Carries   a   Rail 83 

Si    Writes   to    "Deer    Annie." 85 

An  Army  Writing-Desk   87 

Laying  the  Foundation    91 

A  Rude   Awakening   93 

Visits    the   Doctor 94 

"Let  Yer  Nails  Grow ;  Ye'll  Need  'Em." 97 

"Say,  Cap,  What  Kind  o'   Bug  is  This?" 99 

"Skirmishing." 103 

"Naw !     Lemme    Show   Ye    How !" 107 

Struck  by  a  Cyclone   TIT 

Taking  the  Top  Rail 113 

Supper  Under  Difficulties 115 


CONTENTS.  Xlil 


A  Field  Shanty 117 

In  the  Morning 1 19 

"Don't   Stab    Me." 123 

Hydropathic  Treatment   125 

Si  Defies  a  Regiment   129 

He  Let  Both  Heels  Fly 133 

Si   Went   Sprawling    137 

£tuck  in  the  Mud   I41 

It  Burst    With  a   Loud   "Bang." 145 

Si  Takes  a  Crack  at  a  Reb 147 

Si  Captures  a  Johnny   ! 149 

Corporal   Si   Klegg    I5T 

"Not  'Less  Ye  Say  'Bunker  Hill.' " 155 

Si   Didn't   Take   any   Chances 159 

They  Had  Shot  a  Mule 163 

The  200th  Ind.  was  Not  Without  Talent  in  Foraging 169 

Si    Beat    a    Retreat 171 

There  was  a  Man  at  Every  Hill 173 

Si  Being  Worked  for  a  "Good  Thing." 175 

Si  was  Disposed  to  Grumble 181 

Showing  the  Old  Man  a  Trick 183 

Waiting  for  Their   Clothes   to   Dry 187 

An  Assault  on  the  Well-filled   Corn   Crib 191 

Shorty  Held  the  Calf 195 

Si  Sprang  Upon  Him 199 

"Shorty,  if  We— Only  Git— Out  o'  This." 203 

The   Captain   Wriggled   into   His   Coat 209 

50  Straight  He  Leaned  Backward 211 

51  Almost  Fainted  when   the   Colonel   Stopped 215 

Shorty  was  There — With   a   Guard 217 


THIS    BOOK    IS    RESPECTFULLY    DEDICATED 

TO  THE  RANK   AND   FILE 
OF  THE  GRANDEST  ARMY   EVER    MUSTERED    FOR   \VAk. 


SI  KLEGO 


CHAPTER    I. 


GOING    TO   WAR  —  SI    KLEGG'S    COMPLETE   EQUIPMENT 
AND  WHAT  BECAME  OF  IT. 

AFTER  Si  Klegg  had  finally  yielded  to  his  cumu- 
lative patriotic  impulses  and  enlisted  in  the 
200th  Ind.  for  three  years  or  until  the  rebel- 
lion was  put  down,  he  began  with  great  earnestness 
and  solemnity  to  equip  himself  for  his  new  career. 

He  was  thrifty  and  provident,  and  believed  in 
being  ready  for  any  emergency.  His  friends  and 
family  coincided  with  him.  The  Quartermaster  pro- 
vided him  with  a  wardrobe  that  was  serviceable,  if 
not  stylish,  but  there  were  many  things  that  he  felt 
he  would  need  in  addition. 

"You  must  certainly  have  a  few  pairs  of  home- 
knit  socks  and  some  changes  of  underclothes,"  said 
his  tearfully-solicitous  mother.  "They  won't  weigh 
much,  and  they'll  in  all  likelihood  save  you  a  spell 
of  sickness." 

"Certainly,"  responded  Josiah,  "I  wouldn't  think 
of  going  away  without  'em." 

Into  the  capacious  knapsack  went  several  pounds 
of  substantial  knit  woolen  goods. 

"You  can't  get  along  without  a  couple  of  towels 


16  SI    KLEGG. 

and  a- piece  of  soap,''  said  his  oldest  sister,  Maria, 
as  she  stowed  those  things  alongside  the  socks  and 
underclothes. 

"Si,"  said  Ellen,  his  second  sister,  "I  got  this 
pocket  album  for  my  gift  to  you.  It  contains  all  our 
pictures,  and  there  is  a  place  for  another's  picture, 
whose  name  I  suppose  I  needn't  mention,"  she  added 
archly. 

Si  got  a  little  red  in  the  face,  but  said : 

"Nothing  could  be  nicer,  Nell.  It'll  be  the  great- 
est comfort  in  the  world  to  have  all  your  pictures 
to  look  at  when  I'm  down  in  Dixie." 

"Here's  a  'housewife'  I've  made  for  you  with  my 
own  hands,"  added  Annabel,  who  was  some  other 
fellow's  sister.  She  handed  him  a  neatly-stitched 
little  cloth  affair.  "You  see,  it  has  needles,  thread, 
buttons,  scissors,  a  fine-tooth  comb,  and  several  other 
things  that  you'll  need  very  badly  after  you've  been 
in  camp  awhile.  And"  (she  got  so  near  Si  that  she 
could  whisper  the  rest)  "you'll  find  in  a  little  secret 
pocket  a  lock  of  my  hair,  which  I  cut  off  this 
morning." 

"I  suppose  I'll  have  a  good  deal  of  leisure  time 
while  we're  in  camp,"  said  Si  to  himself  and  the 
others;  "I  believe  I'll  just  put  this  Ray's  Arithmetic 
and  Greene's  Grammar  in." 

"Yes,  my  young  friend,"  added  the  Rev.  Boan- 
arges,  who  had  just  entered  the  house,  "and  as  you 
will  be  exposed  to  new  and  unusual  temptations,  I 
thought  it  would  be  judicious  to  put  this  volume  of 
'Baxter's  Call  to  the  Unconverted'  in  your  knapsack, 
for  it  may  give  you  good  counsel  when  you  need  it 
sorely." 


GOING    TO    WAR. 


17 


"'Thankee,"  said  Si,  stowing  away  the  book. 
Of  course,  Si  had  to  have  a  hair-brush,  blacking- 
brush,  a  shaving  kit,  and  some  other  toilet  appliances. 


SI  DECIDES  TO  ENLIST. 

Then  it  occurred  to  his  thoughtful  sister  Maria  that 
he  ought  to  have  a  good  supply  of  stationery,  includ- 
ing pens,  a  bottle  of  ink,  and  a  portfolio  on  which  to 
write  when  he  was  far  away  from  tables  and  desks. 


18  SI    KLEGG. 

These  went  in,  accompanied  by  a  half-pint  bottle  of 
"No.  6,"  which  was  Si's  mother's  specific  for  all  the 
ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to.  Then,  the  blanket  which  the 
Quartermaster  had  issued  seemed  very  light  and 
insufficient  to  be  all  the  bed-clothes  a  man  would 
have  when  sleeping  on  the  bare  ground,  and  Si 
rolled  up  one  of  the  warm  counterpanes  that  had 
helped  make  the  Indiana  Winter  nights  so  comfort- 
able for  him. 

"Seems  rather  heavy,"  said  Si  as  he  put  his  knap- 
sack on ;  "but  I  guess  I'll  get  used  to  it  in  a  little 
while.  They  say  that  soldiers  learn  to  carry  surpris- 
ing loads  on  their  backs.  It'll  help  cure  me  of  being 
round-shouldered;  it'll  be  better  'n  shoulder-braces 
for  holding  me  up  straight." 

Of  course,  his  father  couldn't  let  him  go  away 
without  giving  him  something  that  would  contribute 
to  his  health  and  comfort,  and  at  last  the  old  gentle- 
man had  a  happy  thought — he  would  get  the  village 
shoemaker  to  make  Si  a  pair  of  his  best  stout  boots. 
They  would  be  ever  so  much  better  than  the  shoes 
the  Quartermaster  furnished  for  tramping  over  the 
muddy  roads  and  swamps  of  the  South.  Si  fastened 
these  on  top  of  his  knapsack  until  he  should  need 
them  worse  than  at  present. 

His  old  uncle  contributed  an  immense  bowie  knife, 
which  he  thought  would  be  of  great  use  in  the  san- 
guinary hand-to-hand  conflicts  Si  would  have  to 
wage. 

On  the  way  to  the  depot  Si  found  some  of  his 
comrades  gathered  around  an  enterprising  retail 
dealer  in  hardware,  who  was  convincing  them  that 
they  could  serve  their  country  much  better,  besides 


GOING    TO    WAR. 


19 


adding  to  their  comfort,  by  buying  from  him  a  light 
hatchet  and  a  small  frying-pan,  which  he  offered,  in 
consideration  of  their  being  soldiers,  to  sell  them  at 
remarkable  low  rates.  Si  saw  at  once  the  great  con- 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR. 

venience  a  hatchet  and  a  frying-pan  would  be,  and 
added  them  to  his  kit.  An  energetic  dealer  in 
tinware  succeeded  in  selling  him,  before  he  reached 
the  depot,  a  cunning  little  coffee-pot  and  an  ingenious 
combination  of  knife,  fork  and  spoon  which  did  not 
weigh  more  than  a  pound. 


20  SI    KLEGG. 

When  he  got  in  the  cars  he  was  chagrined  to  find 
that  several  of  his  comrades  had  provided  themselves 
with  convenient  articles  that  he  had  not  thought  of. 
He  consoled  himself  that  the  regiment  would  stop 
some  time  in  Louisville,  when  he  would  have  an 
opportunity  of  making  up  his  deficiencies. 

But  when  the  200th  reached  Louisville  there  was 
no  leisure  for  anything.  Bragg  was  then  running  his 
celebrated  foot-race  with  Buell  for  the  Kentucky 
metropolis,  and  the  200th  Ind.  was  trotted  as  rapidly 
as  unused  legs  could  carry  it  to  the  works  several 
miles  from  the  center  of  the  city. 

Everybody  who  was  in  that  campaign  remembers 
how  terribly  hot  and  dry  everything  was. 

Si  Klegg  managed  to  keep  up  tolerably  near  the 
head  of  the  column  until  camp  was  reached,  but  his 
shoulders  were  strained  and  blisters  began  to  appear 
on  his  feet. 

"That  was  a  mighty  tough  pull,  wasn't  it?"  he 
said  to  his  chum  as  they  spread  their  blankets  on 
the  dog-fennel  and  made  some  sort  of  a  bed;  "but 
I  guess  after  a  day  or  two  we'll  get  so  used  to  it  that 
we  won't  mind  it." 

For  a  few  days  the  200th  Ind.  lay  in  camp,  but  one 
day  there  came  an  order  for  the  regiment  to  march 
to  Bardstown  as  rapidly  as  possible.  A  battle  was 
imminent.  The  roads  were  dusty  as  ash-heaps,  and 
though  the  pace  was  not  three  miles  an  hour,  the 
boys'  tongues  were  hanging  out  before  they  were  out 
of  sight  of  camp. 

"I  say,  Captain,  don't  they  never  have  resting 
spells  in  the  army?"  said  Si. 

"Not  on  a  forced  march,"  answered  the  Captain, 


GOING    TO    WAR. 


21 


who,  having  been  in  the  first  three  months'  service, 
was  regarded  as  a  veteran.     'Tush  on,  boys;  they 
say  that  they'll  want  us  before  night." 
Another  hour  passed. 


AS  SI  LOOKED  WHEN  HE  LANDED  AT  LOUISVILLE. 

''Captain,  I  don't  believe  you  can  put  a  pin-point 
anywhere  on  my  feet  that  ain't  covered  with  a  blister 
as  big  as  a  hen's  egg,"  groaned  Si. 


22  SI    KLEGG. 

"It's  too  bad,  I  know,"  answered  the  officer;  "but 
you  must  go  on.  They  say  Morgan's  cavalry  are  in 
our  rear  shooting  down  every  straggler  they  can 
find." 

Si  saw  the  boys  around  him  lightening  their  knap- 
sacks. He  abominated  waste  above  all  things,  but 
there  seemed  no  help  for  it,  and,  reaching  into  that 
receptacle  that  bore  down  upon  his  aching  shoulders 
like  a  glacier  on  a  groundhog,  he  pulled  out  and 
tossed  into  the  fence  corner  the  educational  works 
he  had  anticipated  so  much  benefit  from.  The  bot- 
tle of  "No.  6"  followed,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  knap- 
sack was  a  ton  lighter,  but  it  yet  weighed  more  than 
any  stack  of  hay  en  the  home  farm. 

A  cloud  of  dust  whirled  up,  and  out  of  it  appeared 
a  galloping  Aid. 

"The  General  says  that  the  200th  Ind.  must  push 
on  much  faster.  The  enemy  is  trying  to  get  to  the 
bridge  ahead  of  them,"  he  shouted  as  he  dashed  off 
in  another  cloud  of  dust. 

A  few  shots  were  heard  in  the  rear. 

"Morgan's  cavalry  are  shooting  some  more  strag- 
glers," shouted  some  one. 

Si  was  getting  desperate.  He  unrolled  the  counter- 
pane and  slashed  it  into  strips  with  his  bowie.  "My 
mother  made  that  with  her  own  hands,"  he  explained 
to  a  comrade,  "and  if  I  can't  have  the  good  of  it  no 
infernal  rebel  shall.  He  next  slashed  the  boots  up 
and  threw  them  pfter  the  quilt,  and  then  hobbled 
on  to  overtake  the  rest  of  his  company. 

"There's  enough  dry-goods  and  clothing  lying 
along  in  the  fence  corners  to  supply  a  good-sized 
town,"  the  Lieutenant-Colonel  reported  as  he  rode 
over  the  line 'of  march  in  rear  of  the  regiment. 


GOING    TO    WAR. 


23 


The  next  day  Si's  feet  felt  as  if  there  was  a  sep- 
arate and  individual  jumping  toothache  in  every 
sinew,  muscle,  tendon  and  toe-nail;  but  that  didn't 
matter.  With  Bragg's  infantry  ahead  and  John 
Morgan's  cavalry  in  the  rear,  the  200th  Ind.  had  to 


SI'S  LOAD  BEGINS  TO  GET  HEAVY. 

go  forward  so  long  as  the  boys  could  put  one  foot 
before  the  other.  The  unloading  went  on  even  more 
rapidly  than  the  day  before. 

"My  knapsack  looks  like  an  elephant  had  stept 
on  it,"  Si  said,  as  he  ruefully  regarded  it  in  the 
evening. 


24  SI    KLEGG. 

"Show  me  one  in  the  regiment  that  don't,"  an- 
swered his  comrade. 

Thenceforward  everything  seemed  to  conspire  to 
teach  Si  how  vain  and  superfluous  were  the  things 
of  this  world.  The  first  rain-storm  soaked  his  cher- 
ished album  until  it  fell  to  pieces,  and  his  sister's 
portfolio  did  the  same.  He  put  the  photographs  in 
his  blouse  pocket  and  got  along  just  as  well.  When 
he  wanted  to  write  he  got  paper  from  the  sutler.  A 
mule  tramped  on  his  fancy  coffee-pot,  and  he  found 
he  could  make  quite  as  good  coffee  in  a  quart-cup. 
A  wagon-wheel  ran  over  his  cherished  frying-pan, 
and  he  melted  an  old  canteen  in  two  and  made  a 
lighter  and  handier  pan  out  of  one-half  of  it.  He 
broke  his  bowie-knife  prying  the  lid  off  a  cracker- 
box.  He  piled  his  knapsack  with  the  others  one  day 
when  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  strip  them  off 
for  a  charge,  and  neither  he  nor  his  comrades  ever 
saw  one  of  them  again.  He  never  attempted  to 
replace  it.  He  learned  to  roll  up  an  extra  pair  of 
socks  and  a  change  of  underclothing  in  his  blanket, 
tie  the  ends  of  this  together  and  throw  it  over  his 
shoulder  sash  fashion.  Then,  with  his  socks  drawn 
up  over  the  bottoms  of  his  pantaloons,  three  days'  ra- 
tions in  his  haversack  and  40  rounds  in  his  cartridge- 
box,  he  was  ready  to  make  his  30  miles  a  day  in  any 
direction  he  might  be  sent,  and  whip  anything  that 
he  encountered  on  the  road, 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    DEADLY    BAYONET  —  IT     IS    USED     FOR     NEARLY 
EVERYTHING  ELSE  THAN  FOR  PRODDING  MEN. 

IN  COMMON  with  every  other  young  man  who 
enlisted  to  defend  the  glorious  Stars  and 
Stripes,  Si  Klegg,  of  the  200th  Ind.,  had  a  pro- 
found superstition  concerning  the  bayonet.  All  the 
war  literature  he  had  ever  read  abounded  in  blood- 
curdling descriptions  of  bayonet  charges  and  hand- 
to-hand  conflicts,  in  which  bayonets  were  repeatedly 
thrust  up  to  the  shanks  in  the  combatants'  bodies 
just  as  he  had  put  a  pitch-fork  into  a  bundle  of  hay. 
He  had  seen  pictures  of  English  regiments  bristling 
with  bayonets  like  a  porcupine  with  quills,  rushing 
toward  French  regiments  which  looked  as  prickly 
as  a  chestnut-bur,  and  in  his  ignorance  he  supposed 
that  was  the  way  fighting  was  done.  Occasionally 
he  would  have  qualms  at  the  thought  of  how  little 
his  system  was  suited  to  have  cold  steel  thrust 
through  it  promiscuous-like,  but  he  comforted  him- 
self with  the  supposition  that  he  would  probably  get 
used  to  it  in  time — "soldiers  get  used  to  almost  any- 
thing, you  know." 

When  the  200th  Ind.  drew  its  guns  at  Indianapolis 
he  examined  all  the  strange  accouterments  with  inter- 
est, but  gave  most  to  the  triangular  bit  of  steel  which 
writers  who  have  -never  seen  a  battle  make  so  im- 
portant a  weapon  in  deciding  contests. 


Si   KLEG& 


have  water  in  it,  it  had  milk,  molasses,  or  even  apple- 
jack, for  Si  then  was  not  a  member  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Good  Templars,  of  which  society  he  is 
now  an  honored  officer.  Nothing  could  be  nicer,  when 
he  was  on  picket,  to  bring  buttermilk  in  from  the 
neighboring  farm-house  to  his  chum  Shorty,  who 
stood  post  while  he  was  gone. 

Later  in  the  service 
Si  learned  the  inesti- 
mable value  of  coffee 
to  the  soldier  on  the 
march.  Then  he  stript 
the  cloth  from  his  can- 
t  e  e  n,  fastened  the 
straps  on  with  bits  of 
wire  and  made  a  fine 
coffee-pot  of  it.  In  the 
morning  he  would  half 
fill  it  with  the  splendid 
coffee  the  Government 
furnished,  fill  it  up 
with  water  and  hang  it 
from  a  bush  or  a  stake 
over  the  fire,  while  he 
went  ahead  with  his 
other  culinary  prepar- 
ations. By  the  time 
these  were  finished  he 
would  have  at  least  a 


quart    of    magnificent 


SI'S  CHUM,  "SHORTY' 

ELLIOTT. 

coffee  that  the  cook  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  could  not 
surpass,  and  which  would  last  him  until  the  regi- 
ment halted  in  the  afternoon. 


THE    OLD    CANTEEN.  27 

The  bully  of  the  200th  took  it  into  his  thick  head 
one  day  to  try  to  "run  over"  Si.  The  latter  had  just 
filled  his  canteen,  and  the  bully  found  that  the  mo- 
mentum of  three  pints  of'  water  swung  at  arm's 
length  by  an  angry  boy  was  about  equal  to  a  mule's 
kick. 

Just  as  he  was  beginning  to  properly  appreciate 
his  canteen,  he  learned  a  sharp  lesson,  that  comes 
to  all  of  us,  as  to  how  much  "cussedness"  there  can 
be  in  the  simplest  things  when  they  happen  to  go 
wrong.  He  went  out  one  day  and  got  a  canteen  of 
nice  sweet  milk,  which  he  and  ''Shorty"  Elliott 
heartily  enjoyed.  He  hung  the  canteen  upon  the 
ridge-pole  of  the  tent,  and  thought  no  more  about  it 
until  the  next  day,  when  he  came  in  from  drill,  and 
found  the  tent  filled  with  an  odor  so  vile  that  it  made 
him  cough. 

"Why  in  thunder  don't  the  Colonel  send  out  a 
detail  to  find  and  bury  that  dead  mule?  It'll  pizen 
the  hull  camp." 

He  had  been  in  service  just  long  enough  to  believe 
that  the  Colonel  cught  to  look  out  for  and  attend  to 
everything. 

"  Taint  no  dead  mule,"  said  Shorty,  whose  nose 
had  come  close  to  the  source  of  the  odor.  "It's  this 
blamed  canteen.  What  on  earth  have  you  been  put- 
ting in  it,  Si  ?" 

"Ha'int  had  nothin'  in  but  that  sweet  milk  yester- 
day." 

"That's  just  what's  the  matter,"  said  the  Orderly, 
who,  having  been  in  the  three-months'  service,  knew 
all  about  war.  He  had  come  in  to  detail  Si  and 
Shorty  to  help  unload  Quartermaster's  stores.  "You 


28  SI    KLEGG. 

must  always  scald  out  your  canteens  when  you've 
had  milk  in  'em.  Don't  you  remember  how  careful 
your  mother  is  to  scald  her  milk  pans?" 

After  the  company  wagon  had  run  over  and  hope- 
lessly ruined  the  neat  little  frying-pan  which  Si  had 
brought  from  Posey  County,  he  was  in  despair  as 
to  how  he  should  fry  his  meat  and  cook  his  "lob- 
scouse."  Necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention.  He 
melted  in  two  a  canteen  he  picked  up,  and  found  its 
halves  made  two  deep  tin  pans,  very  light  and  very 
handy.  A  split  stick  made  a  handle,  and  he  had 
as  good  a  frying-pan  as  the  one  he  had  lost,  and  much 
more  convenient,  for  when  done  using  the  handle  was 
thrown  away,  and  the  pan  slipt  into  the  haversack, 
where  it  lay  snug  and  close,  instead  of  clattering 
about  as  the  frying-pan  did  when  the  regiment  moved 
at  the  double-quick. 

The  other  half  of  the  canteen  was  useful  to  brown 
coffee,  bake  hoe-cake,  and  serve  for  toilet  purposes. 

One  day  on  the  Atlanta  campaign  the  regiment 
moved  up  in  line  to  the  top  of  a  bald  hill.  As  it  rose 
above  the  crest  it  was  saluted  with  a  terrific  volley, 
and  saw  that  another  crest  across  the  narrow  valley 
was  occupied  by  at  least  a  brigade  of  rebels. 

"We'll  stay  right  here,  boys,"  said  the  plucky  little 
Colonel,  who  had  only  worn  Sergeant's  stripes  when 
the  regiment  crossed  the  Ohio  River.  "We've  pre- 
empted this  bit  of  real  estate,  and  we'll  hold  it  against 
the  whole  Southern  Confederacy.  Break  for  that 
fence  there,  boys,  and  every  fellow  come  back  with 
a  couple  of  rails." 

It  seemed  as  if  he  hardly  ceased  speaking  when 
the  boys  came  running  back  with  the  rails  which  they 


THE    OLD    CANTEEN. 


29 


THE  DIVERSE  USES  OF  THE  GOOD  OLD  CANTEEN. 

laid  down  along  the  crest,  and  dropped  flat  behind 
them,  began  throwing  the  gravelly  soil  over  them 
with  their  useful  half -canteens.  In  vain  the  shower 


30  SI    KLEGG. 

of  rebel  bullets  struck  and  sang  about  them.  Not 
one  could  penetrate  that  little  ridge  of  earth  and 
rails,  which  in  an  hour  grew  into  a  strong  rifle-pit 
against  which  the  whole  rebel  brigade  charged,  only 
to  sustain  a  bloody  repulse. 

The  war  would  have  lasted  a  good  deal  longer 
had  it  not  been  for  the  daily  help  of  the  ever-useful 
half -canteen. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  OLD  CANTEEN  —  THE  MANY  AND  QUEER  USES  TO 
WHICH  IT  WAS  AT  LAST  PUT. 

WHEN  Josiah  (called  "Si"  for  short)  Klegg, 
of  the  200th  Ind.,  drew  his  canteen  from 
the  Quartermaster  at  Louisville,  he  did  not 
have  a  very  high  idea  of  its  present  or  prospective 
importance.  In  the  22  hot  Summers  that  he  had  lived 
through  he  had  never  found  himself  very  far  from 
a  well  or  spring  when  his  thirst  cried  out  to  be 
slacked,  and  he  did  not  suppose  that  it  was  much 
farther  between  wells  down  South. 

"I  don't  see  the  use  of  carrying  two  or  three  pints 
o'  water  along  all  day  right  past  springs  and  over 
cricks,"  he  remarked  to  his  chum,  as  the  two  were 
examining  the  queer,  cloth-covered  cans. 

"We've  got  to  take  'em,  any  way,'"  answered  his 
chum,  resignedly,  "It's  regulations." 

On  his  entry  into  service  a  boy  accepted  every- 
thing without  question  when  assured  that  it  was 
"regulations."  He  would  have  charged  bayonets 
on  a  buzz-saw  if  authoritatively  informed  that  it 
was  required  by  the  mysterious  "regulations." 

The  long  march  the  200th  Ind.  made  after  Bragg 
over  the  dusty  turnpikes  the  first  week  in  October, 
1862,  taught  Si  the  value  of  a  canteen.  After  that 
it  was  rarely  allowed  to  get  empty.  When  it  didn't 


32  SI    KLEGG. 

"What  are  these  grooves  along  each  side  for?"  he 
asked,  pointing  out  the  little  hollows  which  give  the 
"prod"  lightness  and  strength. 

"Why,"  answered  the  Orderly,  who,  having  been 
in  the  three-months'  service,  assumed  to  know  more 
about  war  than  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  "the  inten- 
tion of  those  is  to  make  a  wound  the  lips  of  which 
will  close  up  when  the  bayonet  is  pulled  out,  so  that 
the  man'll  be  certain  to  die." 

Naturally  so  diabolical  an  intention  sent  cold 
shivers  down  Si's  back. 

The  night  before  Si  left  for  "the  front"  he  had 
taken  his  musket  and  accouterments  home  to  show 
them  to  his  mother  and  sisters — and  the  other  fel- 
.  low's  sister,  whose  picture  and  lock  of  hair  he  had 
safely  stowed  away.  They  looked  upon  the  bayonet 
with  a  dreadful  awe.  Tears  came  into  Maria's  eyes 
as  she  thought  of  Si  roaming  about  through  the 
South  like  a  bandit  plunging  that  cruel  steel  into 
people's  bowels. 

"This  is  the  way  it's  done,"  said  Si,  as  he  charged 
about  the  room  in  an  imaginary  duel  with  a  rebel, 
winding  up  with  a  terrifying  lunge.  "Die,  Tur-r-r- 
raitor,  gaul  durn  ye,"  he  exclaimed,  for  he  was  really 
gefting  excited  over  the  matter,  while  the  girls 
screamed  and  jumped  upon  the  chairs,  and  his  good 
mother  almost  fainted. 

The  attention  that  the  200th  Ind.  had  to  give  to 
the  bayonet  drill  confirmed  Si's  deep  respect  for  the 
weapon,  and  he  practiced  assiduously  all  the 
"lunges,"  "parries,"  and  "guards"  in  the  Manual, 
in  the  hope  that  proficiency  so  gained  would  save 
his  own  dearly-beloved  hide  from  puncture,  and  en- 


THfi   DEADLY   BAYONET.  33 

able  him  to  punch  any  luckless  rebel  that  he  might 
encounter  as  full  of  holes  as  a  fishing  net. 

The  200th  Ind.'s  first  fight  was  at  Perryville,  but 
though  it  routed  the  rebel  force  in  front  of  it,  it 


WHAT  THE  BAYONET  WAS  GOOD  FOR. 

would  have  taken  a  bayonet  half-a-mile  long  to  touch 
the  nearest  "Johnny."  Si  thought  it  odd  that  the 
rebels  didn't  let  him  get  close  enough  to  them  to  try 
his  new  bayonet,  and  pitch  a  dozen  or  two  of  them 
over  into  the  next  field. 

If  the  truth  must  be  told,  the  first  blood  that 
stained  Si's  bayonet  was  not  that  of  a  fellow-man. 


§4  SI   kLEGG. 

Si  Kiel's  company  was  on  picket  one  day,  while 
Gen.  Buell  was  trying  to  make. up  his  mind  what 
to  do  with  Bragg.  Rations  had  been  a  little  short 
for  a  week  or  so.  In  fact,  they  had  been  scarcely 
sufficient  to  meet  the  demands  of  Si's  appetite,  and 
his  haversack  had  nothing  in  it  to  speak  of.  Strict 
orders  against  foraging  had  been  issued.  It  was 
the  day  of  "guarding  rebel  onion  patches."  Si 
couldn't  quite  get  it  straight  in  his  head  why  the 
General  should  be  so  mighty  particular  about  a  few 
pigs  and  chickens  and  sweet  potatoes,  for  he  was 
really  getting  hungry,  and  when  a  man  is  in  this 
condition  he  is  riot  in  a  fit  mood  to  grapple  with 
fine-spun  theories  of  governmental  policy. 

50  when  a  fat  pig  came  wabbling  and  grunting 
toward  his  post,  it  was  to  Si  like  a  vision  of  manna 
to  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness.    A  wild, 
uncontrollable  desire  to  taste  a  fresh  spare-rib  took 
possession  of  him.     Naturally,  his  first  idea  was  to 
send  a  bullet  through  the  animal,  but  on   second 
thought  he  saw  that  wouldn't  do  at  all.     It  would 
"give  him  away"  at  once,  and,  besides,  he  had  found 
that  a  single  shot  on  the  picket-line  would  keep 
Buell's  entire  army  in  line-of-battle  for  a  whole  day. 

51  wrote  to  his  mother  that  his  bright  new  bayo- 
net was  stained  with  Southern  blood,  and  the  old 
lady  shuddered  at  the  awful  thought.    "But,"  added 
Si,  "it  was  only  a  pig,  and  not  a  man,  that  I  killed !" 

"I'm  so  glad!"  she  exclaimed. 

By  the  time  Si  had  been  in  the  service  a  year 
there  was  less  zeal  in  the  enforcement  of  orders 
of  this  kind,  and  Si  had  become  a  very  skillful  and 
successful  forager.  He  had  still  been  unable  to 


THE   DEADLY    BAYONET. 


35 


reach  with  his  bayonet  the  body  of  a  single  one  of 
his  misguided  fellow  citizens,  but  he  had  stabbed 


AS  MARIA  PICTURED  SI  USING  HIS  BAYONET. 


a  great  many  pigs  and  sheep.  In  fact,  Si  found 
his  bayonet  a  most  useful  auxiliary  in  his  pred- 
atory operations.  He  could  not  well  have  gotten 
along  without  it. 


36  SI    KLEGG. 

Uncle  Sam  generally  furnished  Si  with  plenty 
of  coffee — roasted  and  unground — but  did  not  sup- 
ply him  with  a  coffee  mill.  Si  thought  at  first  that 
the  Government  had  forgotten  something.  He  saw 
that  several  of  the  old  veterans  of  '61  had  coffee 
mills,  but  he  found  on  inquiry  that  they  had  been 
obtained  by  confiscation  only.  He  determined  to 
supply  himself  at  the  first  opportunity,  but  in  the 
meantime  he  was  obliged  to  use  his  bayonet  as  a 
substitute,  just  as  all  the  rest  of  the  soldiers  did. 

We  regret  to  say  that  Si,  having  thrown  away 
his  "Baxter's  Call  to  the  Unconverted"  in  his  first 
march,  and  having  allowed  himself  to  forget  the 
lessons  he  had  learned  but  a  few  years  before  in 
Sunday-school,  soon  learned  to  play  poker  and  other 
sinful  games.  These,  at  night,  developed  another 
use  for  the  bayonet.  In  its  capacity  as  a  "handy" 
candlestick  it  was  "equaled  by  few  and  excelled  by 
none."  The  "shank"  was  always  ready  to  receive 
the  candle,  while  the  point  could  be  thrust  into  the 
ground  in  an  instant,  and  nothing  more  was  neces- 
sary. This  was  perhaps  the  most  general  sphere  of 
usefulness  found  by  the  bayonet  during  the  war. 
Barrels  of  candle-grease  flowed  down  the  furrowed 
sides  of  this  weapon  for  every  drop  of  human  blood 
that  dimmed  its  luster. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  AWFUL  HARDTACK  —  THE  HARD  AND  SOLID  STAFI 
OF   MILITARY  LIFE. 

44    \  PPETITE'S    a    queer    thing,"   said    Si    to 

^Y^     Shorty   one   day,   when   both  were   in   a 

philosophical  mood.    "It's  an  awful  bother 

when  you  haven't  it,  and  it's  a  great  deal  worse  when 

you  have  it,  and  can't  get  anything  for  it." 

"Same  as  money,"  returned  sage  Shorty. 

During  the  first  few  months  of  Si  Klegg's  service 
in  the  army  the  one  thing  that  bothered  him  more 
than  anything  else  was  his  appetite.  It  was  a  very 
robust,  healthy  one  that  Si  had,  for  he  had  grown 
up  on  his  father's  farm  in  Indiana,  and  had  never 
known  what  it  was  to  be  hungry  without  abundant 
means  at  hand  for  appeasing  his  desires  in  that 
direction.  His  mother's  cupboard  was  never  known 
to  be  in  the  condition  of  Old  Mother  Hubbard's, 
described  in  the  nursery  rhyme.  The  Kleggs  might 
not  have  much  tapestry  and  bric-a-brac  in  their 
home,  but  their  smoke-house  was  always  full,  and 
Mrs.  Klegg's  kitchen  could  have  fed  a  camp-meeting 
any  time  without  warning.  So  it-  was  that  when 
Si  enlisted  his  full,  rosy  face  and  his  roundness 
of  limb  showed  that  he  had  been  well  fed,  and  that 
nature  had  made  good  use  of  the  ample  daily  sup- 
plies that  were  provided.  His  digestive  organs 
kept  in  perfect  condition  by  constant  exercise, 


38  SI    KLEGG. 

After  Si  had  put  down  his  name  on  the  roll  of 
Co.  Q  of  the  200th  Ind.  he  had  but  a  few  days  to 
remain  at  home  before  his  regiment  was  to  start 
for  Louisville.  During  this  time  his  mother  and 
sisters  kept  him  filled  up  with  "goodies"  of  every 
sort.  In  fact,  it  was  the  biggest  thing  in  the  way 
of  a  protracted  picnic  that  Si  had  ever  struck, 

"You  must  enjoy  these  things  while  you  can,  Si," 
said  his"  mother,  "for  goodness  knows  what  you'll 
do  when  you  really  git  into  the  army.  I've  heerd 
'em  tell  awful  things  about  how  the  poor  sogers 
don't  have  half  enough  to  eat,  and  what  they  do 
git  goes  agin'  any  Christian  stomach.  Here,  take 
another  piece  of  this  pie.  A  little  while,  and  it'll 
be  a  long  time,  I  reckon,  till  ye  git  any  more." 

"Don't  keer  if  I  do!"  said  Si,  for  there  was 
scarcely  any  limit  to  his  capacity. 

And  so  during  those  days  and  nights  the  old  lady 
and  the  girls  cooked  and  cooked,  and  Si  ate  and 
ate,  until  it  seemed  as  if  he  wouldn't  want  any  more 
till  the  war  was  over. 

Si  was  full,  and  as  soon  as  Co.  Q  was,  it  was 
ordered  to  camp,  and  Si  had  to  go.  They  loaded  him 
down  with  good  things  enough  to  last  him  a  week. 
The  pretty  Annabel — the  neighbor's  daughter  who 
had  solemnly  promised  Si  that  she  wouldn't  go  with 
any  other  fellow  wrhile  he  was  away — came  around 
to  see  Si  off  and  brought  him  a  rich  fruit  cake. 

"I  made  that  for  you,"  she  said. 

"Bully  for  you !"  said  Si,  for  he  felt  that  he  must 
begin  to  talk  like  a  soldier. 

The  first  day  or  two  after  reaching  Louisville  the 
200th  received  rations  of  "soft  bread."  But  that 


THE   AWFUL    HARDTACK.  3§ 

didn't  last  long.  It  was  only  a  way  they  had  of 
letting  the  fresh  soldier  down  easy.  Orders  came 
to  get  ready  to  pull  out  after  Bragg,  and  then  Si's 
regiment  had  its  first  issue  of  army  rations.  As 
the  Orderly  pried  open  a  box  of  hardtack  and  began 
to  distribute  them  to  the  boys,  Si  exclaimed:  ' 


HE  TRIED  HIS  BACK  TEETH. 

"Them's  nice-looking  soda  crackers.  I  don't  be- 
lieve the  grub  is  going  to  be  so  bad,  after  all." 

Si  had  never  seen  a  hardtack  before. 

"Better  taste  one  and  see  how  you  like  it!"  said 
one  of  Buell's  ragged  Indiana  veterans,  who-  had 
come  over  to  see  the  boys  of  the  200th  and  hear  the 
latest  news  from  "God's  country." 


40  Si    KLEGG. 

It  happened  that  this  lot  was  one  of  extra  quality 
as  to  hardness.  The  baker's  watch  had  stopped, 
or  he  had  gone  to  sleep,  and  they  had  been  left  in 
the  oven  or  dry-kiln  too  long.  Si  took  one  of  them 
and  carried  it  to  his  mouth.  He  first  tried  on  it 
the  bite  which  made  such  havoc  with  a  quarter  sec- 
tion of  custard  pie,  but  his  incisors  made  no  more 
impression  upon  it  than  if  it  had  been  a  shingle. 

"You  have  to  bear  on  hard,"  said  the  veteran, 
with  a  grim  smile. 

"Je-ru-sa-lem !"  exclaimed  Si  after  he  had  made 
two  or  three  attempts  equally  barren  of  results. 

Then  he  tried  his  "back  teeth."  His  molars  were 
in  prime  order,  and  his  jaw  power  was  sufficient  to 
crack  a  hickory  nut  every  time.  Si  crowded  one 
corner  of  the  hardtack  as  far  as  he  could  between 
his  "grinders,"  where  he  could  get  a  good  "purchase" 
on  it,  shut  his  eyes  and  turned  on  a  full  head  of 
steam.  His  teeth  and  jaws  fairly  cracked  under  the 
strain,  but  he  couldn't  even  "phase"  it. 

"If  that  ain't  old  pizen !"  said  Si.  "It  beats  any- 
thing I  ever  seen  up  in  the  Wabash  country." 

But  his  blood  was  up,  and  laying  the  cracker 
upon  a  log,  he  brought  the  butt  of  his  gun  down 
upon  it  like  a  pile-driver. 

"I  thought  I'd  fix  ye,"  he  said,  as  he  picked  up 
the  fragments,  and  tried  his  teeth  upon  the  smaller 
ones.  "Have  I  got  to  eat  such  stuff  as  that?"  with 
a  despairing  look  at  his  veteran  friend.  "I'd  just 
as  soon  be  a  billy-goat  and  live  on  circus-posters, 
fruit-cans  and  old  hoop-skirts." 

"You'll  get  used  to  it  after  a  while,  same's  we 
did.  You'll  see  the  time  when  you'll  be  mighty  glad 
t©  get  even  as  hard  a  tack  as  that !'' 


THE    AWFUL    HARDTACK. 


41 


Si's  heart  sank  almost  into  his  shoes  at  the  pros- 
pect, for  the  taste  of  his  mother's  pie  and  Annabel's 
fruit  cake  were  yet  fresh  in  his  mouth.  But  Si 
was  fully  bent  on  being  a  loyal,  obedient  soldier, 
determined  to  make  the  best  of  everything  without 
any  more  "kicking"  than  was  the  inalienable  right 
of  every  man  who  wore  a  uniform. 


HE  TRIES  THE  BUTT  OF  HIS  GUN  ON  IT. 

For  the  first  time  in  his  life  Si  went  to  bed  hun- 
gry that  night.  Impelled  by  the  gnawings  of  his 
appetite  he  made  repeated  assaults  upon  the  hard- 
tack, but  the  result  was  wholly  insufficient  to  satisfy 


42  SI    KLEGG. 

the  longings  of  his  stomach.  His  supper  wasn't 
anything  to  speak  of.  Before  going  to  bed  he  be- 
gan to  exercise  his  ingenuity  on  various  schemes 
to  reduce  the  hardtack  to  a  condition  in  which  it 
would  be  more  gratifying  to  his  taste  and  better 
suited  to  the  means  with  which  nature  had  provided 
him  for  disposing  of  his  rations.  Naturally  Si 
thought  that  soaking  in  water  would  have  a  bene- 
ficial effect.  So  he  laid  five  or  six  of  them  in  the 
bottom  of  a  camp-kettle,  anchored  them  down  with 
a  stone,  and  covered  them  with  water.  He  thought, 
that  with  the  aid  of  a  frying-pan  he  would  get  up 
a  breakfast  that  he  could  eat,  anyway. 

Si  felt  a  little  blue  as  he  lay  curled  up  under 
his  blanket  with  his  head  pillowed  on  his  knapsack. 
He  thought  some  about  his  mother,  and  sister  Maria, 
and  pretty  Annabel,  but  he  thought  a  good  deal 
more  about  the  beef  and  potatoes,  the  pies  and  the 
puddings,  that  were  so  plentifully  spread  upon  the 
table  at  home. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  he  got  to  sleep.  As 
he  lay  there,  thinking  and  thinking,  there  came  to- 
his  mind  some  ether  uses  to  which  it  seemed  to 
him  the  hardtack  might  be  put,  which  would  be 
much  more  consistent  with  its  nature  than  to  palm 
it  off  on  the  soldiers  as  alleged  food.  He  thought  he 
could  now  understand  why,  when  he  enlisted,  they 
examined  his  teeth  so  carefully,  as  if  they  were  going 
to  buy  him  for  a  mule.  They  said  it  was  necessary 
to  have  good  teeth  in  order  to  bite  "cartridges"  suc- 
cessfully, but  now  he  knew  it  was  with  reference  to 
his  ability  to  eat  hardtack. 

Si  didn't  want  to  be  killed  if  he  could  help  it. 


THE    AWFUL    HARDTACK,  43 

While  he  was  lying  there  he  determined  to  line  one 
of  his  shirts  with  hardtacks,  and  he  would  put  that 
on  whenever  there  was  going  to  be  a  fight.  He 
didn't  believe  the  bullets  would  go  through  them.  He 
wanted  to  do  all  he  could  toward  paralyzing  the 
rebels,  and  with  such  a  protection  he  could  be  very 
brave,  while  his  comrades  were  being  mowed  down 
around  him.  The  idea  of  having  such  a  shirt  struck 
Si  as  being  a  brilliant  one. 

Then,  he  thought  hardtack  would  be  excellent 
for  half-soling  his  shoes.  He  didn't  think  they  would 
ever  wear  out. 

If  he  ran  short  of  ammunition  he  could  ram  pieces 
of  hardtack  into  his  gun  and  he  had  no  doubt  they 
would  do  terrible  execution  in  the  ranks  of  the 
enemy. 

All  these  things  and  many  more  Si  thought  of 
until  finally  he  was  lost  in  sleep.  Then  he  dreamed 
that  somebody  was  trying  to  cram  stones  down  his 
throat. 

The  company  was  called  out  at  daylight,  and  im^ 
mediatly  after  roll-call  Si  went  to  look  after  the 
hardtacks  he  had  put  to  soak  the  night  before.  He 
thought  he  had  never  felt  so  hungry  in  his  life.  He 
fished  out  the  hardtack  and  carefully  inspected  them, 
to  note  the  result  of  the  submerging  and  to  figure 
out  the  chances  on  his  much-needed  breakfast. 

To  any  old  soldier  it  would  be  unnecessary  to  de- 
scribe the  condition  in  which  Si  found  those  hard- 
tacks, and  the  effect  of  the  soaking.  For  the  in- 
formation of  any  who  never  soaked  a  hardtack  it 
may  be  said  that  Si  found  them  transformed,  to  all 
appearances,  into  sole-leather.  They  were  flexible, 


44  SI    KLEGG. 

L<ut  as  tough  as  the  hide  that  was  ' 'found  in  the 
vat  when  the  tanner  died." 

Si  tried  to  bite  a  piece  off  one  of  them  to  see  what 
it  was  like,  but  he  couldn't  get  his  teeth  through 
it.  In  sheer  desperation  he  laid  it  on  a  log,  seized 
a  hatchet,  and  chopped  off  a  corner.  He  put  it  in 
his  mouth  and  chewed  on  it  a  while,  but  found  it  as 
tasteless  as  cold  codfish. 

Si  thought  he  would  try  the  frying-pan.  He 
chopped  the  hardtacks  into  bits,  put  in  equal  parts 
of  water  and  grease,  sifted  over  the  mixture  a 
little  salt  and  pepper,  and  then  gave  it  a  thorough 
frying.  Si's  spirits  rose  during  the  gradual  devel- 
opment of  this  scheme,  as  it  seemed  to  offer  a  good 
prospect  for  his  morning  meal.  And  when  it  came 
to  the  eating,  Si  found  it  really  good,  comparatively 
speaking,  even  though  it  was  very  much  like  a  dish 
compounded  of  the  sweepings  from  around  a  shoe- 
maker's bench.  A  good  appetite  was  indispensable 
to  a  real  enjoyment  of  this — which  the  soldiers 
called  by  a  name  that  cannot  be  given  here^but 
Si  had  the  appetite,  and  he  ate  and  was  thankful. 

"I  thought  I'd  get  the  bulge  on  them  things  some 
way  or  other,"  said  Si,  as  he  drank  the  last  of  his 
coffee  and  arose  from  his  meal  feeling  like  a  giant 
refreshed  with  new  wine. 

For  the  next  two  or  three  months  Si  largely  de- 
voted his  surplus  energies  to  further  experimenting 
with  the  hardtack.  He  applied  every  conceivable 
process  of  cookery  he  could  think  of  that  was  pos- 
sible with  the  meager  outfit  at  his  command  in  the 
way  of  utensils  and  materials.  Nearly  all  of  his 
patient  and  persevering  efforts  resulted  only  in  vex- 
ation of  spirit. 


THE    AWFUL    HARDTACK. 


He  continued  to  eat  hardtack  from  day  to  day, 
in  these  various  forms,  but  it  was  only  because  he 
had  to  do  it.  He  didn't  hanker  after  it,  but  it  was 
a  military  necessity — hardtack  or  starvation.  It 
was  a  hard  choice,  but  Si's  love  of  life — and  Annabel 
— induced  him  to  choose  the  hardtack. 


THE  BEST  WAY  AFTER  ALL. 

But  for  a  long  time  Si's  stomach  was  in  a  state 
of  chronic  rebellion,  and  on  the  whole  he  had  a  hard 
time  of  it  getting  used  to  this  staple  article  of 
army  diet.  He  did  not  become  reconciled  to  it  until 
after  his  regiment  had  rations  of  flour  for  a  week, 
when  the  "cracker-line"  had  been  cut  by  the  guer- 
rillas and  the  supply  of  that  substantial  edible  was 
exhausted.  Si's  experience  with  the  flour  swept 
away  all  his  objections  to  the  hardtack.  Those 


46  SI    KLEGCJ. 

slapjacks,  so  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made,  and 
those  lumps  of  dough,  mixed  with  cold  water  and 
dried  on  flat  stones  before  the  fire,  as  hard  as  can- 
non balls,  played  sad  havoc  with  his  internal  ar- 
rangements. For  the  first  time  he  was  obliged  to 
fall  into  the  cadaverous  squad  at  sick-call  and  wab- 
ble up  to  the  doctor's  shop,  where  he  was  dosed  with 
castor-oil  and  blue-mass.  Si  was  glad  enough  to 
see  hardtack  again.  Most  of  the  grumbling  he  did 
thereafter  concerning  the  hardtack  was  because  he 
often  couldn't  get  enough. 

About  six  months  taught  Si  what  all  the  soldiers 
learned  by  experience,  that  the  best  way  to  eat  the 
average  hardtack  was  to  take  it  ' 'straight" — just  as 
it  came  out  of  the  box,  without  any  soaking  or  frying 
or  stewing.  At  meal-time  he  would  make  a  quart 
or  so  of  coffee,  stab  the  end  of  a  ramrod  through 
three  or  four  slices  of  sowbelly,  and  cook  them  over 
the  coals,  allowing  some  of  the  drippings  to  fall  upon 
the  hardtack  for  lubricating  purposes,  and  these 
constituted  his  frugal  repast. 


CHAPTER  V. 


FAT       PORK  —  INDISPENSABLE       BODY      TIMBER       FOR 
PATRIOTISM. 

IT  WAS  told  in  the  last  chapter  how  the  patriotic 
impulses  of  Si  Klegg,  of  the  200th  Ind.,  reached 
his  stomach  and  digestive  apparatus,  and 
brought  them  under  obedient  subjection  to  hard- 
tack. He  didn't  have  quite  so  rough  an  experience 
with  that  other  staple  of  army  diet,  which  was  in 
fact  the  very  counterpart  of  the  hardtack,  and 
which  took  its  most  popular  name  from  that  part 
of  the  body  of  the  female  swine  which  is  usually 
nearest  the  ground.  Much  of  Si's  muscle  and  brawn 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  meat  was  always  plenty 
on  his  father's  farm.  When  Si  enlisted  he  was  not 
entirely  free  from  anxiety  on  the  question  of  meat, 
for  to  his  appetite  it  was  not  even  second  in  im- 
portance to  bread.  If  bread  was  the  "staff  of  life," 
meat  was  life  itself  to  Si.  It  didn't  make  much 
difference  to  him  what  kind  it  was,  only  so  it  was 
meat.  He  didn't  suppose  Uncle  Sam  would  keep 
him  supplied  with  quail  on  toast  and  porterhouse 
steaks  all  the  time,  but  he  did  hope  he  would  give 
him  as  much  as  he  wanted  of  something  in  that  line. 

"You  won't  get  much  pork,  unless  you're  a  good 
forager,"  said  one  of  Si's  friends  he  met  at  Louis- 
ville, and  who  had  been  a  year  in  the  service. 

Si  thought  he  might,  with  practice  and  a  little 


48  SI    KLEGG. 

encouragement,  be  fairly  successful  in  foraging  on 
his  own  hook,  but  at  the  same  time  he  said  he 
wouldn't  grumble  if  he  could  only  get  plenty  of  pork. 
Fortunately  for  him  he  had  not  been  imbued  with 
the  teachings  of  the  Hebraic  dispensation  which 
declared  "unclean"  the  beast  that  furnished  the 
great  bulk  of  the  animal  food  for  the  American  de- 
fenders of  the  Union. 

Co.  Q  of  the  200th  Ind.  received  with  the  first 
issue  of  army  rations  at  Louisville  a  bountiful  sup- 
ply of  bacon  of  prime  quality,  and  Si  was  happy 
at  the  prospect.  He  thought  it  would  always  be 
that  way. 

"I  don't  see  anything  the  matter  with  such  grub 
as  that !"  said  Si.  "Looks  to  me  as  though  we  were 
goin'  to  live  like  fighting-cocks." 

"You're  just  a  little  bit  brash,"  said  his  veteran 
friend,  who  had  just  been  through  the  long,  hun- 
gry march  from  Huntsville,  Ala.,  to  Louisville. 
"Better  eat  all  you  can  lay  yer  hands  on  now,  while 
ye've  got  a  chance.  One  o'  these  days  ye'll  git  into 
a  tight  place  and  ye  won't  see  enough  hog's  meat 
in  a  week  to  grease  a  griddle.  I've  bin  there,  my- 
self! Jest  look  at  me  and  see  what  short  rations  '11 
bring  you  to?" 

But  Si  thought  he  wouldn't  try  to-  cross  a  bridge 
till  he  got  to  it,  nor  lie  awake  nights  worrying  over 
troubles  that  were  yet  in  the  future.  Si  had  a 
philosophical  streak  in  his  mental  make-up  and  this, 
by  the  way,  was  a  good  thing  for  a  soldier  to  have. 
"Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof,"  was  an 
excellent  rule  for  him  to  go  by. 

So  Si  assimilated  all  the  pork  that  fell  to  his  share, 


FAT    PORK.  49 

with  an  extra  bit  now  and  then  from  a  comrade 
whose  appetite  was  less  vigorous.  He  thrived  under 
its  fructifying  influence,  and  gave  good  promise  of 
military  activity  and  usefulness.  No  scientific 
processes  of  cookery  were  necessary  to  prepare  it 
for  immediate  use.  A  simple  boiling  or  frying  or 
toasting  was  all  that  was  required. 


THE    VETERAN    TALKS    TO    SI. 

During  the  few  days  at  Louisville  fresh  beef  was 
issued  occasionally.  It  is  true  that  the  animals 
slain  for  the  soldiers  were  not  always  fat  and  tender, 
nor  did  each  of  them  have  four  hind-quarters.  This 
last  fact  was  the  direct  cause  of  a  good  deal  of 
inflammation  in  the  200th  Ind.,  as  in  every  other 


50  SI    KLEGG. 

regiment.  The  boys  who  got  sections  of  the  forward 
part  of  the  "critter,"  usually  about  three-quarters 
bone,  invariably  kicked,  and  fired  peppery  remarks 
at  those  who  got  the  juicy  steaks  from  the  rear 
portion  of  the  animal.  Then  when  their  turn  came 
for  a  piece  of  hind-quarter  the  other  fellows  would 
growl.  Four-fifths  of  the  beys  generally  had  to 
content  themselves  with  a  skinny  rib  or  a  soup- 
shank.  Si  shared  the  common  lot,  and  did  his  full 
quota  of  grumbling  because  his  "turn"  for  a  slice 
of  steak  didn't  come  every  time  beef  was  issued. 

The  pickled  pork  was  comparatively  free  from  this 
caues  of  irritation.  It  was  all  alike,  and  was  simply 
"Hobson's  choice."  Si  remembered  the  fragrant  and 
delicious  fried  ham  that  so  often  garnished  his 
mother's  breakfast  table  and  wondered  why  there 
was  not  the  same  proportion  of  hams  and  sides  in 
the  Commissary  that  he  remembered  in  the  meat- 
house  on  the  Wabash.  He  remarked  to  Shorty  one 
day: 

"I  wonder  where  all  this  pork  comes  from?" 

"It  comes  from  Illinoy,  I  suppose,"  said  Shorty. 
"I  notice  the  barrels  are  all  marked  'Chicago'." 

"Must  grow  funny  kind  o'  hogs  out  there — mile 
long  each,  I  should  say." 

"What  do  you  ir ean?" 

"Why,  we've  drawn  a  full  mile  oj  sides  from  the 
Commissary,  and  haint  struck  a  ham  yit.  I'm  won- 
derin'  jest  how  long  that  hog  is !" 

"Well,  you  are  green.  You  oughter  know  by  this 
time  that  there  are  only  enough  hams  -for  the 
officers. 

Now  and  then  a  few  pigs'  shoulders  were  handed 


PORK. 


51 


ctround  among  the  boys,  but  the  large  proportion 
of  bone  they  contained  was  exasperating,  and  was 
the  cause  of  much  profanity. 

Sometimes  bacon  was  issued  that  had  really  out- 
lived its  usefulness,  except,  perhaps,  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  soap.  Improperly  "cured,"  it  was  strong 
and  rancid,  or,  occasionally,  so  near  a  condition  of 


DRAWING    RATIONS, 


putrefaction  that  the  stench  from  it  offended  the 
nostrils  of  the  whole  camp.  Some  times  it  was  full 
of  "skippers,"  that  tunneled  their  way  through  and 
through  it,  and  grew  fat  with  riotous  living. 

Si  drew  the  line  at  this  point.  He  had  an  iron- 
plated  stomach,  but  putrid  and  maggoty  meat  was 
too  much  for  it.  Whenever  he  got  any  of  this  he 
would  trade  it  off  to  the  darkies  for  chickens.  There 


52  Si    KLEG& 

is  nothing  like  pork  for  a  Southern  negro.  He  wants 
something  that  will  "stick  to  his  ribs." 

By  a  gradual  process  of  development  his  appetite 
reached  the  point  when  he  could  eat  his  fat  pork 
perfectly  raw.  During  a  brief  halt  when  on  thQ 


"ALL    RIGHT,    BOSS;    DAT'S    A    GO." 

march  he  would  squat  in  a  fence  corner,  go  down 
into  his  haversack  for  supplies,  cut  a  slice  of  bacon, 
lay  it  on  a  hardtack,  and  munch  them  with  a  keen 
relish. 

At  one  of  the  meetings  of  the  Army  of  the  Cum- 
berland Gen.  Garfield  told  a  story  which  may  appro- 
priately close  this  chapter. 

One  day,  while  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  was 
beleaguered  in  Chattanooga  and  the  men  were  al- 


FAT    PORK.  53 

most  starving  on  quarter  rations,  Gen.  Rosecrans 
and  his  staff  rode  out  to  inspect  the  lines.  As  the 
brilliant  cavalcade  dashed  by  a  lank,  grizzled  soldier 
growled  to  a  comrade: 

"It'd  be  a  darned  sight  better  for  this  army  if  we 
had  a  little  more  sowbelly  and  not  quite  so  many 
brass  buttons!" 


CHAPTER  VI. 


DETAILED  AS   COOK  —  SI   FINDS  RICE  ANOTHER  INNO- 
CENT WITH  A  GREAT  DEAL  OF  CUSSEDNESS  IN  IT. 

IT  WOULD  have  been  very  strange,  indeed,  if  Si 
Klegg  had  not  grumbled  loudly  and  frequently 
about  the  food  that  was  dished  up  to  him  by  the 
company  cooks,  in  the  first  place,  it  was  as  natural 
for  a  boy  to  grumble  at  the  "grub"  as  it  was  for 
him  to  try  to  shirk  battalion  drill  or  "run  the 
guard."  In  the  next  place,  the  cooking  done  by  the 
company  bean-boiler  deserved  all  the  abuse  it  re- 
ceived, for  as  a  rule  the  boys  who  sought  places  in 
the  hash  foundry  did  so  because  they  were  too  lazy 
to  drill  or  do  guard  duty,  and  their  knowledge  of 
cooking  was  about  like  that  of  the  Irishman's  of 
music : 

"Can  you  play  the  fiddle,  Pat?"  he  was  asked. 
"Oi  don't  know,  sor-r-r — Oi  niver  tried." 
Si's  mother,  like  most  of  the  well-to-do  farmers' 
wives  in  Indiana,  was  undoubtedly  a  good  cook,  and 
she  trained  up  her  daughters  to  do  honor  to  her 
teachings,  so  that  Si  undoubtedly  knew  what  prop- 
erly-prepared food  was.  From  the  time  he  was  big 
enough  to  spank  he  had  fared  sumptuously  every 
day.  In  the  gush  of  patriotic  emotions  that 
prompted  him  to  enlist  he  scarcely  thought  of  this 
feature  of  the  case.  If  it  entered  his  mind  at  all, 


DETAILED    AS    COOK. 


55 


he  felt  that  he  could  safely  trust  all  to  the  goodness 
of  so  beneficent  a  Government  as  that  for  the  preser- 
vation of  which  he  had  offered  /jimself  as  a  target 
for  the  rebels  to  shoot  at.  He  thought  it  no  more 
than  fair  to  the  brave  soldiers  that  Uncle  Sam 


SI  FALLS  OUT  WITH  HIS  FOOD. 

should  furnish  professional  cooks  for  each  company,, 
who  would  serve  everything  up  in  the  style  of  a 
first-class  city  restaurant.  So,  after  Si  got  down 
among  the  boys  and  found  how  it  really  was,  it  was 


56  SI    KLEGG. 

not  long  till  his  inside  was  a  volcano  of  rebellion 
that  threatened  serious  results. 

When,  therefore,  Si  lifted  up  his  voice  and  cried 
aloud,  and  spared  not — when  he  said  that  he  could 
get  as  good  coffee  as  that  furnished  him  by  dipping 
his  cup  into  a  tan-vat;  when  he  said  that  the  meat 
was  not  good  soap-grease,  and  that  the  potatoes  and 
beans  had  not  so  much  taste  and  nutrition  in  them 
as  so  much  pine-shavings,  he  was  probably  nearer 
right  than  grumblers  usually  are. 

"Give  it  to  'em,  Si,"  his  comrades  would  say,  when 
he  turned  up  his  loud  bazoo  on  the  rations  question. 
"They  ought  to  get  it  ten  times  worse.  When  we 
come  out  we  expected  that  some  of  us  would  get 
shot  by  the  rebels,  but  we  didn't  calculate  that  we 
were  going  to  be  poisoned  in  camp  by  a  lot  of  dirty, 
lazy  potwrastlers." 

One  morning  after  roll-call  the  Orderly-Sergeant 
came  up  to  Si  ana  said : 

"There's  been  so  much  chin-music  about  this 
cooking-business  that  the  Captain's  ordered  the 
cooks  to  go  back  to  duty,  and  after  this  everybody'll 
have  to  take  his  regular  turn  at  cooking.  It'll  be 
your  turn  to-day,  and  you'll  stay  in  camp  and  get 
dinner." 

When  Co.  Q  marched  out  for  the  forenoon  drill, 
Si  pulled  off  his  blouse  and  set  down  on  a  convenient 
log  to  think  out  how  he  should  go  to  work.  Up  to 
this  time  he  had  been  quite  certain  that  he  knew  all 
about  cooking  that  it  was  worth  while  to  know.  Just 
now  none  of  his  knowledge  seemed  to  be  in  usable 
shape,  and  the  more  he  thought  about  it  the  less 
able  he  seemed  to  be  to  decide  upon  any  way  of 


DETAILED    AS    COOK. 


57 


beginning.  It  had  always  appeared  very  easy  for 
his  mother  and  sisters  to  get  dinner,  and  on  more 
than  one  occasion  he  had  reminded  them  how  much 
better  times  they  had  staying  in  the  house  cooking 
dinner  than  he  had  out  in  the  harvest  field  keeping 


SI  THINKS  IT  OVER. 

up  with  the  reaper.  At  this  moment  he  would  rather 
have  kept  up  with  the  fastest  reaper  in  Posey 
County,  on  the  hottest  of  July  days,  than  to  have 
cooked  the  coarse  dinner  which  his  75  comrades  ex- 
pected to  be  ready  for  them  when  they  returned, 
tired,  hot  and  hungry,  from  the  morning  drill. 


58  SI    KLEGG. 

He  went  back  to  the  barracks  and  inspected  the 
company  larder.  He  found  there  the  same  old, 
coarse,  greasy,  strong,  fat  pork,  a  bushel  or  so  of 
beans,  a  few  withered  potatoes,  sugar,  coffee,  bread, 
and  a  box  of  rice  which  had  been  collected  from  the 
daily  rations  because  none  of  the  cooks  knew  how 
to  manage  it.  Tha  sight  of  the  South  Carolina  staple 
recalled  the  delightful  rice  puddings  his  mother  used 
to  make.  His  heart  grew  buoyant. 

"Here's  just  the  thing,"  he  said.  "I  always  was 
fond  of  rice,  and  I  know  the  boys  will  be  delighted 
with  it  for  a  change.  I  know  I  can  cook  it;  for  all 
that  you've  got  to  do  is  to  put  it  in  a  pot  with  water 
and  boil  it  till  it  is  done.  I've  seen  mother  do  that 
lots  o'  times. 

"Let's   see,"  he   said,   pursuing  his   ruminations. 

"I  think  each  boy  can  eat  about  a  cupful,  so  I'll 
put  one  for  each  of  'em  in  the  kettle." 

"There's  one  for  Abner,"  he  continued,  pouring 
a  cupful  in  for  the  first  name  on  the  company-roll; 
"one  for  Acklin,  one  for  Adams,  one  for  Barber,  one 
for  Brooks,"  and  so  on  down  through  the  whole 
well-known  list. 

"It  fills  the  old  kettle  tol'bly  full,"  he  remarked, 
as  he  scanned  the  utensil  after  depositing  the  con- 
tribution for  Williams,  the  last  name  on  the  roll; 
"but  I  guess  she'll  stand  it.  I've  heard  mother  tell 
the  girls  that  they  must  always  keep  the  rice  covered 
with  water,  and  stir  it  well,  so  that  it  wouldn't  burn ; 
so  here  goes.  Won't  the  boys  be  astonished  when 
they  have  a  nice  mess  of  rice,  as  a  change  from  that 
rusty  old  side-meat !" 

He  hung  the  kettle  on  the  fire  and  stepped  out  to 


DETAILED    AS    COOK. 


59 


the  edge  of  the  parade-ground  to  watch  the  boys 
drilling.  It  was  the  first  time  he  had  had  the  sensa- 
tion of  pleasure  of  seeing  them  at  this  without  taking 
part  in  it  himself,  and  he  began  to  think  that  he 
would  not  mind  if  he  had  to  cook  most  of  the  time. 
He  suddenly  remembered  about  his  rice  and  hurried 
back  to  find  it  boiling,  bulging  over  the  top  like  a 
small  snowdrift. 


THE  TROUBLE  BEGINS. 

"I  was  afraid  that  kettle  was  a  little  too  full," 
he  said  to  himself,  hurrying  off  for  another  camp- 
kettle,  in  which  he  put  about  a  third  of  the  con- 
tents of  the  first.  "Now  they're  all  right.  And  it'll 


60  SI    KLEGG. 

cook  better  and  quicker  in  two  than  one.  Great 
Scott !  what's  the  matter  ?  They're  both  boiling  over. 
There  must  be  something  wrong  with  that  rice." 

Pretty  soon  he  had  all  the  company  kettles  em- 
ployed, and  then  all  that  he  could  borrow  from  the 
other  companies.  But  dip  out  as  much  as  he  would 
there  seemed  no  abatement  in  the  upheaving  of  the 
showy  cereal,  and  the  kettles  continued  to  foam  over 
like  so  many  huge  glasses  of  soda  water.  He  rushed 
to  his  bunk  and  got  his  gum  blanket  and  heaped 
upon  it  a  pile  as  big  as  a  small  haycock,  but  the 
mass  in  the  kettle  seemed  larger  than  it  was  before 
this  was  subtracted. 

He  sweat  and  dipped,  and  dipped  and  sweat; 
burned  his  hands  into  blisters  with  the  hot  rice 
and  hotter  kettles,  kicked  over  one  of  the  largest 
kettles  in  one  of  his  spasmodic  rushes  to  save  a 
portion  of  the  food  that  was  boiling  over,  and  sent 
its  white  contents  streaming  over  the  ground.  His 
misery  came  to  a  climax  as  he  heard  the  quick  step 
of  his  hungry  comrades  returning  from  drill. 

"Right  face ;  Arms  a-port ;  Break  ranks — March  i" 
commanded  the  Orderly-Sergeant,  and  there  was  a 
clatter  of  tin  cups  and  plates  as  they  came  rushing 
toward  him  to  get  their  dinner — something  to  stay 
their  ravenous  stomachs.  There  was  a  clamor  of 
rage,  ridicule,  wrath  and  disappointment  as  they 
took  in  the  scene. 

"What's  the  matter  here?"  demanded  the  Cap- 
tain, striding  back  to  the  company  fire.  "You  young 
rascal,  is  this  the  way  you  get  dinner  for  your  com- 
rades? Is  this  the  way  you  attend  to  the  duty  for 
which  you're  detailed?  Waste  rations  in  some  fool 


DETAILED    AS    COOK. 


61 


experiment  and  scatter  good  food  all  over  the 
ground?  Biler,  put  on  your  arms  and  take  Klegg 
to  the  guard-house.  I'll  make  you  pay  for  this  non- 


THE  RICE  GETS   THE  BULGE. 

sense,  sir,  in  a  way  that  you  won't  forget  in  a  hurry, 
I'll  be  bound." 

So  poor  Si  was  marched  to  the  guard-house,  where 
he  had  to  stay  for  24  hours,  as  a  punishment  for 


62 


SI    KLEGG. 


not  knowing,  until  he  found  out  by  this  experience, 
that  rice  would  "swell."  The  Captain  wouldn't  let 
him  have  anything  to  eat  except  that  scorched  and 
half-cooked  stuff  cut  of  the  kettles,  and  Si  thought 
he  never  wanted  to  see  any  more  rice  as  long  as  he 
lived. 


XXI 


SI  MAKES  THE  ACQUAINTANCE  OF  THE  GUARDHOUSE. 

In  the  evening  one  of  the  boys  took  Si's  blanket 
to  him,  thinking  he  would  want  it  to  sleep  in. 

"I  tell  ye,  pard,  this  is  purty  derned  tough!"  said 
Si  as  he  wiped  a  tear  out  of  the  southwest  corner  of 
his  left  eye  with  the  sleeve  of  his  blouse.  "I  think 
the  Cap'n's  hard  on  a  feller  who  didn't  mean  to  do 
nothin'  wrong!"  And  Si  looked  as  if  he  had  lost  ail 


DETAILED    AS    COOK,  63 

his  interest  in  the  old  flag,  and  didn't  care  a  pinch 
of  his  burnt  rice  what  became  of  the  Union. 

His  comrade  "allowed"  that  it  was  hard,  but  sup- 
posed they  had  got  to  get  used  to  such  things.  He 
said  he  heard  the  Captain  say  he  would  let  Si  out 
the  next  day. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


IN  THE  AWKWARD   SQUAD  —  SI   HAS   MANY  TRIBULA- 
TIONS LEARNING  THE    MANUAL  OF  ARMS. 

WHEN  Si  Klegg  went  into  active  service  with 
Co.  Q  of  the  200th  Ind.  his  ideas  of  drill 
and  tactics  were  exceedingly  vague.  He 
knew  €  that  a  "drill"  was  something  to  make  holes 
with,  and  as  he  understood  that  he  had  been  sent 
down  South  to  make  holes  through  people,  he  sup- 
posed drilling  had  something  to  do  with  it.  He 
handled  his  musket  very  much  as  he  would  a  hoe. 
A  "platoon"  might  be  something  to  eat,  for  all  he 
knew.  He  had  a  notion  that  a  "wheel"  was  some- 
thing that  went  around,  and  he  thought  a  "file"  was 
a  screeching  thing  that  his  father  used  once  a  year 
to  sharpen  up  the  old  buck  saw. 

The  fact  was  that  Si  and  his  companions  hardly 
had  a  fair  shake  in  this  respect,  and  entered  the 
field  at  a  decided  disadvantage.  It  had  been  cus- 
tomary for  a  regiment  to  be  constantly  drilled  for  a 
month  or  two  in  camp  in  its  own  State  before  being 
sent  to  the  front;  but  the  200th  was  rushed  off  to 
Kentucky  the  very  day  it  was  mustered  in.  This 
was  while  the  cold  chills  were  running  up  and  down 
the  backs  of  the  people  in  the  North  on  account  of 
the  threatened  invasion  by  Bragg's  army.  The  regi- 
ment pushed  after  the  fleeing  rebels,  but  whenever 


IN    THE    AWKWARD    S^UAD.  65 

Buell's  army  halted  to  take  breath,  "Fall  in  for 
drill!"  was  shouted  through  its  camp  three  or  four 
times  a  day.  It  was  liable  to  be  called  into  action  at 
any  moment,  and  it  was  deemed  indispensable  to 
begin  at  once  the  process  of  making  soldiers  out 
of  those  tender-footed  Hoosiers,  whose  zeal  and 


BROUGHT  HIS  GUN  DOWN  ON  THE  MAN'S  FOOT. 

patriotism  as  yet  far  exceeded  their  knowledge 
of  military  things.  Most  of  the  officers  of  the  200th 
were  as  green  as  the  men,  though  some  of  them  had 
seen  service  in  other  regiments;  so,  at  first,  officers 
and  non-commissioned  officers  who  had  been  in  the 


66  SI    KLEGG. 

field  a  few  months  and  were  considered  veterans, 
and  who  knew,  or  thought  they  knew,  all  about  tac- 
tics that  was  worth  knowing,  were  detailed  from  the 
old  regiments  to  put  the  boys  through  a  course  of 
sprouts  in  company  and  squad  drill. 

One  morning  three  or  four  days  after  leaving 
Louisville,  word  was  passed  around  that  the  regi- 
ment would  not  move  that  day,  and  the  boys  were 
so  glad  at  the  prospect  of  a  day  of  rest  that  they 
wanted  to  get  right  up  and  yell.  Si  was  sitting  on 
a  log,  with  his  shoes  off,  rubbing  his  aching  limbs 
and  nursing  his  blisters,  when  the  Orderly  came 
along. 

"Co.  Q,  be  ready  in  10  minutes  to  fall  in  for  drill. 
Stir  around,  you  men,  and  get  your  traps  on.  Klegg, 
put  on  them  gunboats,  and  be  lively  about  it." 

"Orderly,"  said  Si,  looking  as  if  he  hadn't  a  friend 
on  earth,  "just  look  at  them  blisters;  I  can't  drill 
to-day !" 

"You'll  have  to  or  go  to  the  guard-house,"  was  the 
reply.  "You'd  better  hustle  yourself,  too!" 

Si  couldn't  think  of  anything  to  say  that  would 
do  justice  to  his  feelings;  and  so,  with  wailing  and 
gnashing  of  teeth,  and  a  few  muttered  words  that 
he  didn't  learn  in  Sunday  school,  he  got  ready  to 
take  his  place  in  the  company. 

As  a  general  combustion  of  powder  by  the  armies 
of  Buell  and  Bragg  was  hourly  expected,  it  was 
thought  best  for  the  200th  to  learn  first  something 
about  shooting.  If  called  suddenly  into  action  it 
was  believed  the  boys  could  "git  thar,"  though  they 
had  not  yet  mastered  the  science  of  company  and 
battalion  evolutions. 


IN    THE    AWKWARD    SQUAD. 


67 


Co.  Q  was  divided  into  squads  of  eight  for  exer- 
cise in  the  manual  of  arms.  The  man  who  took  Si's 
squad  was  a  grizzled  Sergeant,  who  had  been  "lug- 
ging knapsack,  box  and  gun"  for  a  year.  He  fully 
realized  his  important  and  responsible  functions  as 


"RIGHT   SHOULDER   SHIFT — ARMS  !" 

instructor  of  these  innocent  youths,  having  at  the 
same  time  a  supreme  contempt  for  their  ignorance. 
"Attention,  Squad!"  and  they  all  looked  at  him 
in  a  way  that  meant  business. 


68  SI    KLEGG. 

"Load  in  nine  times — Load!" 

Si  couldn't  quite  understand  what  the  "in"  meant, 
but  he  had  always  been  handy  with  a  shotgun,  to 
the  terror  of  the  squirrels  and  coons  up  in  Posey 
County,  and  he  thought  he  would  show  the  Sergeant 
how  spry  he  was.  So  he  rammed  in  a  cartridge, 
put  on  a  cap,  held  up  his  musket,  and  blazed  away, 
and  then  went  to  loading  again  as  if  his  life  de- 
pended upon  his  activity.  For  an  instant  the  Ser- 
geant was  speechless  with  amazement.  At  length 
his  tongue  was  loosened,  and  he  roared  out : 

"What  in  the  name  of  General  Jackson  are  you 
doing,  you  measly  idiot!  Who  ordered  you  to  load 
and  fire  your  piece?" 

"I — I  th — thought  you  did!"  said  Si,  trembling 
as  if  he  had  the  Wabash  ague.  "You  said  for  us 
to  load  nine  times.  I  thought  nine  loads  would  fill 
'er  chuck  full  and  bust  'er  and  I  didn't  see  any  way 
but  to  shute  'em  oft  as  fast  as  I  got  'em  in." 

"No,  sir!  I  gave  the  command  according  to 
Hardee,  'Load — in — nine — times !'  and  ef  yer  hadn't 
bin  in  such  a  hurry  you'd  'a'  found  out  what  that 
means.  Yer'll  git  along  a  good  deal  faster  ef  you'll 
go  slower.  Yer  ought  ter  be  made  ter  carry  a  rail, 
and  a  big  one,  for  two  hours." 

Si  protested  that  he  was  sorry,  and  didn't  mean 
to,  and  wouldn't  do  so  again,  and  the  drill  went  on. 
The  master  went  through  all  the  nine  "times"  of 
"Handle— Cartridge !"  "Draw— Rammer !"  etc., 
each  with  its  two  or  three  "motions."  It  seemed 
like  nonsense  to  Si. 

"Boss,"  said  he,  "I  kin  get  'er  loaded  in  just  half 
the  time  ef  yer'll  let  me  do  it  my  own  way !" 


JN    THE    AWKWARD    SQUAD. 


69 


"Silence!*'  thundered  the  Sergeant.  "If  you  speak 
another  word  I'll  have  ye  gagged  'n'  tied  up  by  the 
thumbs !" 

Si  >md  always  been  used  to  speaking  right  out 


'FIX — BAYONETS ! 


when  he  had  anything  to  say,  and  had  not  yet  got 
his  "unruly  member"  under  thorough  subjection. 
He  saw  that  it  wouldn't  do  to  fool  with  the  Drill 
Sergeant,  however,  and  he  held  his  peace.  But  Si 
kept  thinking  that  if  he  got  into  a  fight  he  would 
ram  in  the  cartridge  and  fire  them  out  as  fast  as 


70  SI    KLEGG. 

he  could,  without  bothering  his  head  about  the  "one 
time  and  three  motions." 

"Order — Arms!"  commanded  the  Sergeant,  after 
he  had  explained  how  it  was  to  -be  done.  Si  brought 
his  gun  down  along  with  the  rest  like  a  pile-driver, 
and  it  landed  squarely  on  the  foot  of  the  man  next 
to  him. 

"Ou-ou-ouch !"  remarked  the  victim  of  Si's  inex- 
perience. 

"Didn't  do  it  ^'purpose,  pard,"  said  Si  compas- 
sionately ;  "  'pon  my  word  I  didn't.  I'll  be  more 
keerful  after  this." 

His  suffering  comrade,  in  very  pointed  language, 
urged  upon  Si  the  propriety  of  exercising  a  little 
more  care.  He  determined  that  he  would  manage 
to  get  some  other  fellow  to  stand  next  to  Si  after 
that. 

"Shoulder — Arms !"  ordered  the  Sergeant,  and  the 
guns  came  straggling  up  into  position.  Then,  after 
a  few  words  of  instruction,  "Eight  shoulder  shift — 
Arms !" 

"Don't  you  know  your  right  shoulder?"  said  the 
Sergeant,  with  a  good  deal  of  vinegar  in  his  tone, 
to  Si,  who  had  his  gun  on  the  "larboard"  side,  as  a 
sailor  would  say. 

"Beg  yer  pard  n,"  said  Si;  "I  always  was  left- 
handed.  I'll  learn  if  yer  only  gimme  a  show!" 

"Silence !"  again  roared  the  Sergeant.  "One  more 
word,  sir,  and  I  will  tie  ye  up,  fer  a  fact!" 

The  Sergeant  got  his  squad  down  to  an  "order 
arms"  again,  and  then,  after  showing  them  how,  he 
gave  the  order,  "Fix — Bayonets!" 

There  was  the  usual  clicking  and  clattering,  dur- 


IN    THE    AWKWARD    SQUAD.  71 

ing  which  Si  dexterously  managed  to  stick  his  bayo- 
net into  the  eye  of  his  comrade,  whose  toes  were 
still  aching  from  the  blow  of  the  butt  of  Si's  musket. 
Si  assured  him  he  was  sorry,  and  that  it  was  all 
a  mistake,  but  his  comrade  thought  the  limit  of 
patience  had  been  passed.  So  he  confidently  in- 
formed Si  that  as  'soon  as  drill  was  over  he  was 
going  to  "pcund  the  stuffin'  "  out  of  him,  and  there 
wouldn't  be  any  mistake  about  it,  either. 

When  the  hour  was  up  the  Captain  of  the  com- 
pany came  around  to  see  how  the  boys  were  getting 
along.  The  upshot  of  it  was  that  poor  Si  was  im- 
mediately organized  into  an  "awkward  squad"  all 
by  himself,  and  drilled  an  extra  hour. 

"We'll  see,  Mr.  Klegg,"  said  the  Captain,  "if  you 
can't  learn  to  handle  your  arms  without  mashing 
the  toes  and  stabbing  the  eyes  out  of  the  rest  of  the 
company." 


CHAPTER    VIIL 


ON  COMPANY  DRILL  —  SI  GETS  TANGLED  IN  THE  MAZES 
OF  THE  EVOLUTIONS. 


££T~^vALL  in  for  company  drill!" 

These  words  struck  the  unwilling  ears 
of  Co.  Q,  200th  Ind.,  the  next  time  Buell 
halted  his  army  to  draw  a  long  breath. 

"Wish  somebody  would  shoot  that  durned  Or- 
derly," muttered  Si  Klegg.  'Tor  two  cents  I'd  do 
it  myself." 

"Don't  do  it,  Si,"  admonished  Shorty,  "They'd 
git  another  one  that'd  be  just  as  bad.  All  orderlies 
are  cusses." 

Si  believed  it  would  be  a  case  of  justifiable  homi- 
cide, and,  if  the  truth  must  be  told,  this  feeling  was 
largely  shared  by  the  other  members  of  the  com- 
pany. For  more  than  a  week  the  boys  had  been 
tramping  over  a  "macadamized"  Kentucky  pike. 
Feet  were  plentifully  decorated  with  blisters,  legs 
were  stiff  and  sore,  and  joints  almost  refused  to 
perform  their  functions. 

It  had  rained  nearly  all  the  previous  day,  and  the 
disgusted  Hoosiers  of  the  200th  went  sloshing  along, 
wet  to  the  skin,  for  20  dreary  miles.  With  that 
diabolical  care  and  method  that  were  generally  prac- 
ticed at  such  times,  the  Generals  selected  the  worst 
possible  locations  for  the  camps.  The  200th  was 


ON    COMPANY   DRILL. 


73 


turned  into  a  cornfield,  where  the  men  sank  over 
their  shoetops  in  mud,  and  were  ordered  to  bivouac 
for  the  night.  The  wagons  didn't  get  up  at  all.  How 
they  passed  the  slowly-dragging  hours  of  that  dismal 


DON'T  CARE  A  CONTINENTAL. 


night  will  not  be  told  at  this  time.  Indeed,  bare 
mention  is  enough  to  recall  the  scene  to  those  who 
have  "been  there." 

In  the  morning,  when  the  company  was  ordered 


74  SI    KLEGG. 

out  for  drill,  Si  Klegg  was  standing  before  the  sput- 
tering fire  trying  to  dry  his  steaming  clothes,  every 
now  and  then  turning  around  to  give  the  other  side 
a  chance.  The  mercury  in  his  individual  thermom- 
eter had  fallen  to  a  very  low  point — in  fact,  it  was 
a  cold  day  for  Si's  patriotism.  He  had  reached  that 
stage,  not  by  any  means  infrequent  among  the  sol- 
diers, when  he  'didn't  care  whether  school  kept  or 
not." 

"Well,  Si,  I  s'pose  you  love  your  country  this 
mornin'!"  said  Shorty.  He  was  endeavoring  to 
be  cheerful  under  adverse  circumstances. 

"I  ain't  niite  as  certain  about  it,"  said  bi,  re- 
flectively, "as  I  was  when  I  left  home,  up  in  Posey 
County.  I'm  afeared  I  haven't  got  enough  of  it  to 
last  me  through  three  years  of  this  sort  of  thing  1" 

Si  felt  at  that  moment  as  though  he  was  of  no 
account  for  anything,  unless  it  was  to  be  decked 
with  paint  and  feathers  and  stood  for  a  sign  in  front 
of  a  cigar  store. 

The  rain  had  ceased,  and  the  Colonel  of  the  200th 
felt  that  he  must,  like  the  busy  bee,  "improve  each 
shining  hour"  in  putting  his  command  into  condi- 
tion for  effective  service.  So  he  told  the  Adjutant  to 
have  the  companies  marched  over  to  an  adjacent 
pasture  for  drill. 

"Attention,  Co.  Q!"  shouted  the  Captain,  after 
the  Orderly  had  got  the  boys  limbered  up  enough 
to  get  into  ranks.  The  Captain  didn't  know  very 
much  about  drilling  himself,  but  he  had  been  read- 
ing up  "Hardee,"  and  thought  he  could  handle  the 
company;  but  it  was  a  good  deal  like  the  blind  try- 
ing to  lead  the  blind. 


ON    COMPANY    DRILL. 


75 


"Right— Face !" 

Not  quite  half  the  men  faced  the  wrong  way, 
turning  to  the  left  instead  of  the  right,  which  was 
doing  pretty  well  for  a  starter. 

''Get  aroung  there,  Klegg,  and  the  rest  of  you 
fellows !  Can't  ye  ever  learn  anything." 


RIGHT — FACE  !" 


Si  was  so  particularly  awkward  that  the  Captain 
put  him  at  the  tail-end  of  the  company.  Then  he 
tried  the  right  face  again,  and  as  the  boys  seemed 
to  get  around  in  fair  shape  he  commanded: 

"Right  shouldor  shift  arms!     Forward — March!" 


76 


si  KLEGG. 


The  company  started  off;  but  the  Captain  was 
not  a  little  surprised,  on  looking  back,  to  see  Si 
marching  off  in  the  opposite  direction.  He  had 
faced  the  wrong  way  again,  and,  as  he  didn't  see 


FORWARD — MARCH  ! 


the  others,  he  thought  he  was  all  right,  and  away 
he  went  on  his  own  hook,  till  a  shout  from  the  Cap- 
tain told  him  of  his  mistake. 

When  the  Captain  reached  the  field  which  was 
the  drill-ground  for  the  day,  he  thought  he  would 


ON    COMPANY   DRILL. 


77 


try  a  wheel.  After  a  brief  lecture  to  the  company 
on  the  subject  he  gave  the  command  for  the  move- 
ment. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  first  trial 
was  a  sad  failure.  The  line  bulged  out  in  the  center, 
and  the  outer  flank,  unable  to  keep  up,  fell  behind, 


"COMPANY — RIGHT  WHEEL !" 

the  company  assuming  nearly  the  shape  of  a  big 
letter  C.  Then  the  boys  on  the  outer  end  took  the 
double-quick,  cutting  across  the  arc  of  the  proper 
circle,  which  soon  resulted  in  a  hopeless  wreck  of 
the  whole  company.  The  Captain  halted  the  chaotic 
mass  of  struggling  men,  and  with  the  help  of  the 
Orderly  finally  succeeded  in  getting  them  straight- 
ened out  and  into  line  again.  The  men  had  often 


78  SI    KLEGG. 

seen  practiced  soldiers  going  through  this  most  dif- 
ficult of  all  tactical  movements,  and  it  seemed  easy 
enough;  they  didn't  see  why  they  couldn't  do  it 
just  as  well  as  the  other  fellows.  They  kept  at  it, 
and  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour  had  improved  so 
much  that  they  could  swing  around  in  some  kind 
of  shape  without  the  line  breaking  to  pieces. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

SI    GETS    A    LETTER  —  AND    WRITES    ONE    TO    PRETTY 
ANNABEL,  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES. 

OMPANY  Q,  tumble  up  here  and  git  yer 
mail !"  shouted  the  Orderly  one  afternoon, 
soon  after  the  200th  Ind.  turned  into  a 
tobacco  patch  to  bivouac  for  the  night.  It  had  been 
two  weeks  since  the  regiment  left  Louisville,  and 
this  was  the  first  mail  that  had  caught  up  with  it. 

It  seemed  to  the  boys  as  if  they  had  been  away 
from  home  a  year.  For  a  whole  fortnight  they 
hadn't  heard  a  word  from  their  mothers,  or  sisters, 
or  their  "girls."  Si  Klegg  couldn't  have  felt  more 
lonesome  and  forsaken  if  he  had  been  Robinson 
Crusoe. 

In  the  excitement  of  distributing  the  mail  every- 
thing else  was  forgotten.  The  boys  were  all  get- 
ting their  suppers,  but  at  the  thought  of  letters  from 
home  even  hunger  had  to  take  a  back  seat. 

Si  left  his  coffee-pot  to  tip  over  into  the  fire,  and 
his  bacon  sizzling  in  the  frying-pan,  as  he  elbowed 
his  way  into  the  crowd  that  huddled  around  the 
Orderly. 

"If  there  ain't  more'n  one  letter  for  me,"  said  Si 
softly  to  himself,  "I  hope  it'll  be  from  Annabel; 
but,  of  course,  I'd  like  to  hear  from  Ma  and  sister 
Marier,  too!" 

The  Orderly,  with  a  big  package  of  letters  in  his 


80  SI    KLEGG. 

hand,  was  calling  out  the  names,  and  as  the  boys 
received  their  letters  they  distributed  themselves 
through  the  camp,  squatting  about  on  rails  or  on 
the  ground,  devouring  with  the  greatest  avidity 
the  welcome  messages  from  home.  The  camp  looked 
as  if  there  had  been  a  snowstorm. 

Si  waited  anxiously  to  hear  his  name  called  as 
the  pile  of  letters  rapidly  grew  smaller,  and  he  began 
to  think  he  was  going  to  get  left. 

"Josiah  Klegg!"  at  length  shouted  the  Orderly, 
as  he  held  out  two  letters.  Si  snatched  them  from 
his  hand,  went  off  by  himself,  and  sat  down  on  a  log. 

Si  looked  at  his  letters  and  saw  that  one  of  them 
was  addressed  in  a  pretty  hand.  He  had  never 
received  a  letter  from  Annabel  before,  but  he  "felt 
it  in  his  bones"  that  this  one  was  from  her.  He 
glanced  around  to  be  certain  nobody  was  looking 
at  him,  and  gently  broke  the  seal,  while  a  ruddy 
glow  overspread  his  beardless  cheeks.  But  he  was 
secure  from  observation,  as  everybody  else  was 
similarly  intent. 

"Dear  Si,"  the  letter  began.  He  didn't  have  to 
turn  over  to  the  bottom  of  the  last  page  to  know 
what  name  he  would  find  there.  He  read  those 
words  over  and  over  a  dozen  times,  and  they  set 
his  nerves  tingling  clear  down  to  his  toe-nails.  Si 
forgot  his  aches  and  blisters  as  he  read  on  through 
those  delicious  lines. 

She  wrote  how  anxious  she  was  to  hear  from 
him  and  how  cruel  it  was  of  him  not  to  write  to 
her  real  often;  how  she  lay  awake  nights  think- 
ing about  him  down  among  those  awful  rebels; 
how  she  supposed  that  by  this  time  he  must  be  full 


SI    GETS    A    LETTER. 


81 


of  bullet-holes ;  and  didn't  he  ge"  hungry  sometimes, 
and  wasn't  it  about  time  for  him  to  get  a  furlough? 
how  it  was  just  too  mean  for  anything  that  those 
men  down  South  had  to  get  up  a  war;  how  proud 
she  was  of  Si  because  he  had  'listed,  and  how  she 
watched  the  newspapers  every  day  to  find  some- 


IT'S   FROM   ANNABEL. 

thing  about  him;  how  she  wondered  how  many 
rebels  he  had  killed,  and  if  he  had  captured  any  bat- 
teries yet — she  said  she  didn't  quite  know  whai 
batteries  were,  but  she  read  a  good  deal  about  cap- 
turing 'em,  and  she  supposed  it  was  something  all 
the  soldiers  did;  how  she  hoped  he  wouldn't  forget 
her,  and  she'd  like  to  see  how  he  looked,  now  that 
he  was  a  real  soldier,  and  her  father  had  sold  the 


82  SI    KLEGG. 

old  "mooley"  cow,  and  Sally  Perkins  was  engaged 
to  Jim  Johnson,  who  had  stayed  at  home,  and  as 
for  herself  she  wouldn't  have  anybody  but  a  soldier 
about  the  size  of  Si,  and  'Squire  Jones's  son  had 
been  trying  to  shine  up  to  her  and  cut  Si  out,  but 
she  sent  him  off  with  a  flea  in  his  ear. — "Yours  till 
deth,  Annabel." 

The  fact  that  there  was  a  word  misspelt  now  and 
then  did  not  detract  in  the  least  from  the  letter, 
so  pleasing  to  Si.  In  fact,  he  was  a  little  lame  in 
orthography  himself,  so  that  he  had  neither  the 
ability  nor  the  disposition  to  scan  Annabel's  pages 
with  a  critic's  eye.  Si  was  happy,  and  as  he  began 
to  cast  about  for  his  supper  he  even  viewed  witii 
complacence  his  bacon  burned  to  a  crisp  and  his  cap- 
sized coffee-pot  helplessly  melting  away  in  the  fire. 

"Well,  Si,  what  does  she  say?"  said  his  friend 
Shorty. 

"What  does  who  say?"  replied  Si,  getting  red  in 
the  face,  and  bristling  up  and  trying  to  assume  an 
air  of  indifference. 

"Just  look  here  now,  Si,"  said  Shorty,  "you  can't 
play  that  on  me.  How  about  that  rosy-cheeked  girl 
up  in  Posey  County?" 

It  was  Si's  tender  spot.  He  hadn't  got  used  to 
that  sort  of  thing  yet,  and  he  felt  that  the  emotions 
that  made  his  heart  throb  like  a  sawmill  were  too 
sacred  to  be  fooled  with.  Impelled  by  a  sudden  im- 
pulse he  smote  Shorty  fairly  between  the  eyes,  fell- 
ing him  to  the  ground. 

The  Orderly,  who  happened  to  be  near,  took  Si 
by  the  ear  and  marched  him  up  to  the  Captain's 
quarters. 


SI    GETS    A    LETTER. 


83 


"Have  him  carry  a  rail  in  front  of  my  tent  for 
an  hour!''  thundered  the  Captain.  "Don't  let  it 
be  a  splinter,  either;  pick  out  a  good,  heavy  one. 
And,  Orderly,  detail  a  guard  to  keep  Mr.  Klegg 
moving." 


SI  CARRIES  A  RAIL. 

Of  course,  it  was  very  mortifying  to  Si,  and  he 
would  have  been  almost  heartbroken  had  he  not  been 
comforted  by  the  thought  that  it  was  all  for  her! 
At  first  he  felt  as  if  he  would  like  to  take  that  rail 
and  charge  around  and  destroy  the  whole  regiment; 
but,  on  thinking  it  over,  he  made  up  his  mind  that 
discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor. 

As  soon  as  Si's  hour  was  up,  and  he  had  eaten 


84  SI    KLEGG. 

supper  and  "made  up"  with  Shorty,  he  set  about 
answering  his  letter.  When,  on  his  first  march,  Si 
cleaned  out  all  the  surplusage  from  his  knapsack, 
he  had  hung  on  co  a  pretty  portfolio  that  his  sister 
gave  him.  This  was  stocked  with  postage  stamps 
and  writing  materials,  including  an  assortment  of 
the  envelopes  of  the  period,  bearing  in  gaudy  colors 
National  emblems,  stirring  legends,  and  harrowing 
scenes  of  slaughter,  all  intended  to  stimulate  the 
patriotic  impulses  and  make  the  breast  of  the  soldier 
a  very  volcano  of  martial  ardor. 

When  Si  got  out  his  nice  portfolio  he  found  it  to 
be  an  utter  wreck.  It  had  been  jammed  into  a 
shapeless  mass,  and,  besides  this,  it  had  been  soaked 
with  rain;  paper  and  envelopes  were  a  pulpy  ruin, 
and  the  postage  stamps  were  stuck  around  here  and 
there  in  the  chaos.  It  was  plain  that  this  memento 
of  home  had  fallen  an  early  victim  to  the  hardships 
of  campaign  life,  and  that  its  days  of  usefulness 
were  over. 

"It's  no  use;  'tain't  any  good,"  said  Si  sorrow- 
fully, as  he  tossed  the  debris  into  the  fire,  after 
vainly  endeavoring  to  save  from  the  wreck  enough 
to  carry  out  his  epistolary  scheme. 

Then  he  went  to  the  sutler — or  "skinner,"  as  he 
was  better  known — and  paid  10  cents  for  a  sheet  of 
paper  and  an  envelope,  on  which  were  the  cheerful 
wrords,  "It  is  sweet  to  die  for  one's  country !"  and  10 
cents  more  for  a  3-cent  postage  stamp.  He  bor- 
rowed a  leadpencil,  hunted  up  a  piece  of  cracker- 
box,  and  sat  down  to  his  work  by  the  flickering  light 
of  the  fire.  Si  wrote: 

"Deer  Annie." 


SI    GETS    A    LETTER. 


85 


There  he  stopped,  and  while  he  was  scratching 
his  head  and  thinking  what  he  would  say  next  the 
Orderly  came  around  detailing  guards  for  the  night, 
and  directed  Klegg  to  get  his  traps  and  report  at 
once  for  duty. 


si  WRITES  TO  "DEER  ANNIE." 

"It  hain't  my  turn,"  said  Si.  "There's  Bill  Brown, 
and  Jake  Schneider,  and  Pat  Dooley,  and  a  dozan 
more — I've  been  en  since  they  have!" 

But  the  Orderly  did  not  even  deign  to  reply.  Si 
remembered  the  guard-house,  and  his  shoulder  still 


86  Si    KLEGG. 

ached  from  the  rail  he  had  carried  that  evening;  so 
he  quietly  folded  up  his  paper  and  took  his  place 
with  the  detail. 

The  next  morning  the  army  moved  early,  and  Si 
had  no  chance  to  resume  his  letter.  As  soon  as  the 
regiment  halted,  after  an  18-mile  march,  he  tackled 
it  again.  This  time  nothing  better  offered  in  the 
way  of  a  waiting-desk  than  a  tin  plate,  which  he 
placed  face  downward  upon  his  knee.  Thus  pro- 
vided, Si  plunged  briskly  into  the  job  before  him, 
with  the  following  result : 

"I  now  take  my  pen  in  hand  to  let  you  know  that 
I  am  well,  except  the  dog-goned  blisters  on  my  feet, 
and  I  hope  these  few  lines  may  find  you  enjoying 
the  same  blessings." 

Si  thought  this  was  neat  and  a  good  start  for 
his  letter.  Just  as  he  had  caught  an  idea  for  the 
next  sentence  a  few  scattering  shots  were  heard  on 
the  picket-line,  and  in  an  instance  the  camp  was  in 
commotion.  "Fall  in!"  "Be  lively,  men!"  were 
heard 'on  every  hand. 

Si  sprang  as  if  he  had  received  a  galvanic  shock, 
cramming  the  letter  into  his  pocket.  Of  course, 
there  wasn't  any  fight.  It  was  only  one  of  the  scares 
that  formed  so  large  a  part  of  that  campaign.  But 
it  spoiled  Si's  letter-writing  for  the  time. 

It  was  nearly  a  week  before  he  got  his  letter  done. 
He  wrote  part  of  it  using  for  a  desk  the  back  of  a 
comrade  who  was  sitting  asleep  by  the  fire.  He 
worked  at  it  whenever  he  could  catch  a  few  minutes 
between  the  marches  and  the  numerous  details  for 
guard,  picket,  fatigue  and  other  duty.  He  said  to 
Annie : 


SI    GETS    A   LETTER. 


87 


"Bein'  a  soljer  aint  quite  what  they  crack  it  up 
to  be  when  they're  gittin'  a  fellow  to  enlist.  It's 
mity  rough,  and  you'd  better  believe  it.  You  ought 
to  be  glad  you're  a  gurl  and  don't  haf  to  go.  I  wish't 


AN   ARMY   WRITING-DESK. 

I  was  a  gurl  sometimes.  I  haven't  kild  enny  rebbles 
yet.  I  hain't  even  seen  one  except  a  fiew  raskils  that 
was  tuk  in  by  the  critter  soljers,  they  calls  em 
cavilry.  Me  and  all  the  rest  of  the  boys  wants  to 
hav  a  fite,  but  it  looks  like  Ginral  Buil  was  afeared, 


88  SI    KLEGG. 

and  we  don't  git  no  chance.  I  axed  the  Ordly  couldn't 
he  get  me  a  furlow.  The  Ordly  jest  laft  and  says  to 
me,  Si,  says  he,  yer  don't  know  as  much  as  a  mule. 
The  Capt'n  made  me  walk  up  and  down  for  an  hour 
with  a  big  rail  on  my  sholder. 

"You  tell  Squire  Joneses  boy  that  ho  haint  got  sand 
enuff  to  jine  the  army,  and  if  he  don't  keep  away 
from  you  He  bust  his  eer  when  I  git  home,  if  I  ever 
do.  Whattle  you  do  if  I  shouldn't  ever  see  you  agin  ? 
But  you  no  this  glorus  Govyment  must  be  pertected, 
and  the  bully  Stars  and  Strips  must  flote,  and  your 
Si  is  goin  to  help  do  it. 

My  pen  is  poor,  my  ink  is  pale, 
My  luv  for  you  shall  never  fale. 

"Yours,  affeckshnitly,          Si  Klegg," 


CHAPTER    X. 


SI    AND    THE    DOCTORS  —  HE    JOINS    THE    PALE    PRO- 
CESSION AT  SICK-CALL. 

SI  KLEGG  was  a  good  specimen  of  a  healthy,  ro- 
bust Hoosier  lad — for  he  could  scarcely  be 
called  a  man  yet.  Since  he  lay  in  his  cradle  and 
was  dosed  with  paregoric  and  catnip  tea  like  other 
babies,  he  had  never  seen  a  sick  day,  except  when  he 
had  the  mumps  on  "both  sides"  at  once.  He  had  done 
all  he  could  to  starve  the  doctors. 

When  the  200th  Ind.  took  the  field  it  had  the 
usual  outfit  of  men  who  wrote  their  names  sand- 
wiched between  a  military  title  in  front  and  "M. 
D."  behind,  a  big  hospital  tent,  and  an  apothecary 
shop  on  wheels,  loaded  to  the  guards  with  quinine, 
blue-mass,  castor  oil,  epsom  salts,  and  all  other  de- 
vices to  assuage  the  sufferings  of  humanity. 

The  boys  all  started  out  in  good  shape,  and  there 
had  been  hardly  time  for  them  to  get  sick  much  yet. 
So  up  to  this  stage  of  the  regiment's  history  the  doc- 
tors had  found  little  to  do  but  issue  arnica  and  salve 
for  lame  legs  and  blistered  feet,  and  strut  around  in 
their  shiny  uniforms. 

But  there  came  a  day  when  they  had  all  they 
could  attend  to.  On  going  into  camp  one  afternoon, 
the  regiment,  being  well  in  advance,  struck  a  big 
field  of  green  corn  and  an  orchard  of  half-ripe 


90  SI   KLEGG. 

apples.  Of  course,  the  boys  sailed  in,  and  natural 
consequences  followed. 

"Now  this  is  something  like!"  said  Si,  as  he 
squatted  on  the  ground  along  with  Shorty  and  half 
a  dozen  messmates.  They  surrounded  a  camp-ket- 
tle full  of  steaming  ears  and  half  a  bushel  or  so 
of  apples  heaped  on  a  poncho. 

"Wish  we  had  some  o'  mother's  batter  to  grease 
this  corn  with,"  observed  Si,  as  he  flung  a  cob  into 
the  fire  and  seized  a  fresh  ear. 

All  agreed  that  Si's  head  was  level  on  the  butter 
question,  but  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case 
they  were  glad  enough  to  have  the  corn  without 
butter. 

The  ears  went  off  with  amazing  rapidity.  Every 
man  seemed  to  ba  afraid  he  wouldn't  get  his  share. 
When  the  kettle  was  empty  the  boys  turned  them- 
selves loose  on  the  apples,  utterly  reckless  of  results. 
So,  they  were  filled  full,  and  were  thankful. 

When  Si  got  up  he  burst  off  half  the  buttons  on 
his  clothes.  He  looked  n,s  if  he  was  carrying  a 
bass-drum  in  front  of  him.  After  he  began  to 
shrink  he  had  io  tie  up  his  clothes  with  a  string 
until  he  had  a  chance  to  repair  damages.  But  dur- 
ing the  next  24  hours  he  had  something  else  to 
think  of. 

In  fact,  it  wasn't  long  till  Si  began  to  wish  he  had 
eaten  an  ear  of  corn  and  an  apple  or  two  less.  He 
didn't  feel  very  well.  He  turned  in  early,  thinking 
he  would  go  to  sleep  and  be  all  right  in  the  morning. 

Along  in  the  night  he  uttered  a  yell  that  came 
near  stampeding  the  company.  An  enormous  colic 
was  raging  around  in  his  interior,  and  Si  fairly 


SI    AND    THE    DOCTORS. 


91 


howled  with  pain.    He  thought  he  was  going  to  die 
right  away. 

"Shorty,"  said  he,  between  the  gripes,  to  his  com- 
rade, "I'm  afeared  I'm  goin'  to  peter  out.     After 


LAYING  THE  FOUNDATION. 

I'm  gone  you  write  to — to — Annie  and  tell  her  I  died 
for  my  country  like  a  man.  I'd  ruther  been  shot 
than  die  with  the  colic,  but  I  'spose  'twont  make 
much  difference  after  it's  all  over!" 


92  SI    KLEGG. 

"I'll  do  it,"  replied  Shorty.  "We'll  plant  you  in 
good  shape;  and  Si,  we'll  gather  up  the  corn-cobs 
and  build  a  monument  over  you !" 

But  Si  wasn't  cut  off  in  the  bloom  of  youth  by 
that  colic.  His  eruptive  condition  frightened  Shorty, 
however,  and  though  he  was  in  nearly  as  bad  shape 
himself,  he  went  up  and  routed  out  one  of  the  doc- 
tors, who  growled  a  good  deal  about  being  disturbed. 

The  debris  of  the  supper  scattered  about  the  camp 
told  him  what  was  the  matter,  and  he  had  no  need 
to  make  a  critical  diagnosis  of  Si's  case.  He  gave 
him  a  dose  of  something  or  other  that  made  the  pain 
let  up  a  little,  and  Si  managed  to  rub  along  through 
the  night. 

Fortunately  for  Si,  and  for  more  than  half  the 
members  of  the  regiment,  the  army  did  not  move 
next  day,  and  the  doctors  had  a  good  opportunity 
to  get  in  their  work. 

At  the  usual  hour  in  the  morning  the  bugle  blew 
the  "sick-call."  A  regiment  of  tanned  and  grizzled 
veterans  from  Ohio  lay  next  to  the  200th  Ind.,  and 
as  Si  lay  there  he  heard  them  take  up  the  music : 

"Git  yer  qui-riine !    Git  yer  qui-nine ! 
Tumble  up  you  sick  and  lame  and  blind ; 
Git  a-long  right  smart,  you'll  be  left  be-hind." 

"Fall  in  fer  yer  ipecac!"  shouted  the  Orderly  of 
Co.  Q.  Si  joined  the  procession  and  went  wabbling 
up  to  the  "doctor's"  shop.  He  was  better  than  he 
had  been  during  the  night,  but  still  looked  a  good 
deal  discouraged. 

It  was  a  regular  matinee  that  day.    The  Surgeon 


SI    AND    THE   DOCTORS. 


93 


and  his  assistants  were  all  on  hand,  as  the  various 
squads,  colicky  and  cadaverous,  came  to  a  focus  in 
front  of  the  tent. 

The  doctors  worked  off  the  patients  at  a  rapid 
rate,  generally  prescribing  the  same  medicine  for 


A  RUDE   AWAKENING. 

all,  no  matter  what  ailed  them.  This  was  the  way 
the  army  doctors  always  did,  but  it  happened  in 
this  case  that  they  were  not  far  wrong,  as  the  ail- 
ments, arising  from  a  common  cause,  were  much 
ihe  same. 


94 


SI    KLEGG. 


Si  waited  till  his  turn  came,  and  received  his 
rations  from  the  Hospital  Steward.  Of  course,  he 
was  excused  from  duty  for  the  day,  and  as  he 
speedily  recovered  his  normal  condition  he  really 
had  a  good  time. 

A  few  days  after  this  the  whole  regiment  was 
ordered  on  fatigue  duty  to  repair  an  old  corduroy 


VISITS  THE  DOCTOR. 

road.  Si  didn't  want  to  go,  and  "played  off."  He 
told  the  Orderly  he  wasn't  able  to  work,  but  the 
Orderly  said  he  would  have  to  shoulder  an  ax  or  a 
shovel,  unless  he  was  excused  by  the  doctor.  He 
went  up  at  sick-call  and  made  a  wry  face,  with  his 
hands  clasped  over  his  body  in  the  latitude  of  his 
waistband, 


SI   AND   THE   DOCTORS.  95 

The  doctor  gave  him  a  lot  of  blue-mass  pills, 
which  Si  threw  into  the  fire  as  soon  as  he  got  back 
to  his  quarters.  Then  he  played  seven-up  all  day 
with  Shorty,  who  had  learned  before  Si  did  how  to 
get  a  day  off  when  he  wanted  it. 

Si  thought  it  was  a  great  scheme,  but  he  tried 
it  once  too  often.  The  doctor  "caught  on,"  and  said, 
the  next  time  Si  went  up,  that  castor  oil  was  what 
he  needed  to  fetch  him  around.  So  he  poured  out  a 
large  dose  and  made  Si  take  it  right  then  and  there. 

The  next  time  fatigue  duty  was  ordered  Si  thought 
he  felt  well  enough  to  go  along  with  the  boys. 


CHAPTER    XL 


THE    PLAGUE    OF    THE    SOLDIER  —  INTRODUCTION    TO 
"ONE  WHO  STICKETH  CLOSER  THAN  A  BROTHER." 

ELLO,  Si;  goin'  for  a  soljer,  ain't  ye?" 
"You  bet!" 
"Wall,  you'd  better  b'lieve  its  great  fun; 
it's  jest  a  picnic  all  the  time!    But,  say,  Si,  let's  see 
yer  finger-nails !" 

"I'd  like  ter  know  what  finger-nails  's  got  to  do 
with  soljerin'!"  said  Si.  "The  'cruitin'  ossifer  'n' 
the  man  't  keeps  the  doctor  shop  made  me  shuck 
myself,  'n'  then  they  'xamined  my  teeth,  'n'  thumped 
me  in  the  ribs,  'n'  rubbed  down  my  legs,  'n'  looked  at 
my  hoofs,  same  's  if  I'd  bin  a  hoss  they  wuz  buyin', 
but  they  didn't  say  nothin'  'bout  my  finger-nails." 

"You  jest  do  's  I  tell  ye;  let  'em  grow,  'n'  keep 
'em  right  sharp.  Ye'll  find  plenty  o'  use  fer  'em 
arter  a  while,  'n'  'twont  be  long,  nuther.  I  know 
what  I'm  talkin'  'bout;  I've  bin  thar!" 

This  conversation  took  place  a  day  or  two  before 
Si  bade  farewell  to  his  mother  and  sister  Marier 
and  pretty  Annabel  and  left  the  peaceful  precincts 
of  Posey  County  to  march  away  with  the  200th  Ind. 
for  that  awful  place  vaguely  designated  as  "the 
front!"  He  had  promptly  responded  to  the  call,  and 
his  name  was  near  the  top  of  the  list  of  Company  Q. 

Si  already  had  his  blue  clothes  on.     By  enlisting 


THE    PLAGUE    OF   THE    SOLDIER. 


1)7 


early  he  had  a  good  pick  of  the  various  garments, 
and  so  got  a  suit  that  fitted  his  form — which  was 
plump  as  an  apple-dumpling — tolerably  well.  It  was 
left  for  the  tail-enders  of  the  company  to .  draw 


"LET  YER  NAILS  GROW;  YE'LL  NEEff  'EM." 

trousers  that  were  six  inches  too  long  or  too  short, 
and  blouses  that  either  wouldn't  reach  around,  and 
left  yawning  chasms  in  front,  or  were  so  large  that 
they  looked  as  if  they  were  hung  on  bean-poles. 

Of  course,  Si  couldn't  be  expected  to  do  any  more 
plodding  farm  work,  now  that  he  had  "jined"  the 


S3  SI    KLEGG. 

army.  While  the  company  was  filling  up  he  spent 
most  of  his  time  on  dress  parade  in  the  village  near 
by,  eliciting  admiring  smiles  from  all  the  girls,  and 
an  object  of  the  profoundest  awe  and  wonder  to  tha 
small  boys. 

One  day  Si  was  sitting  on  the  sugar-barrel  in  the 
corner  grocery,  gnawing  a  "blind  robin,"  and  telling 
how  he  thought  the  war  wouldn't  last  long  after  ths 
200th  Ind.  got  down  there  and  took  a  hand  and  got 
fairly  interested  in  the  game ;  they  would  wind  it  up 
in  short  meter.  Such  ardent  emotions  always 
seethed  and  bubbled  in  the  swelling  breasts  of  the 
new  troops  when  they  came  down  to  show  the  vet- 
erans just  how  to  do  it. 

One  of  the  town  boys  who  had  been  a  year  in 
the  service,  had  got  a  bullet  through  his  arm  in  a 
skirmish,  and  was  at  home  on  furlough,  came  into 
the  store,  and  then  took  place  the  dialog  between 
him  and  Si  that  opens  this  chapter. 

Si  wondered  a  good  deal  what  the  veteran  meant 
about  the  finger-nails.  He  did  not  even  know  that 
there  existed  in  animated  nature  a  certain  active 
and  industrious  insect  which,  before  he  had  been  in 
the  army  a  great  while,  would  cause  his  heart  to 
overflow  with  gratitude  to  a  beneficent  Providence 
for  providing  him  with  nails  on  his  fingers. 

When  the  200th  left  Indiana  all  the  boys  had,  of 
course,  brand-new  outfits  right  from  Uncle  Sam's 
great  one-price  clothing  house.  Their  garments 
were  nice  and  clean,  their  faces  well  washed,  and 
their  hair  yet  showred  marks  of  the  comb.  At  Louis- 
ville they  stuck  up  their  noses,  with  a  lofty  con- 
sciousness of  superiority,  at  the  sight  of  Buell's 


THE    PLAGUE    OF    THE    SOLDIER. 


99 


tanned  and  ragged  tramps,  who  had  just  come  up  on 
the  gallop  from  Tennessee  and  northern  Alabama. 

If  the  new  Hoosier  regiment  had  been  quartered 
for  a  while  in  long-used  barracks,  or  had  pitched 
its  tents  in  an  old  camp,  Si  would  very  soon  have 
learned,  in  the  school  of  experience,  the  delightful 


"SAY,  CAP,  WHAT  KIND  0'  BUG  IS  THIS?" 

uses  of  finger-nails.  But  the  200th  stayed  only  a 
single  night  in  Louisville  and  then  joined  the  pro- 
cession that  started  on  the  chase  after  the  rebel 
army.  It  generally  camped  on  new  ground,  and 
under  these  circumstances  the  insect  to  which  allu- 
sion has  been  made  did  not  begin  its  work  of  de- 
vastation with  that  suddenness  that  usually  marked 
its  attack  upon  soldiers  entering  the  field.  But  he 
never  failed  to  "git  there"  sooner  or  later,  and  it 
was  more  frequently  sooner  than  later, 


100  SI    KLEGG. 

One  afternoon,  when  a  few  days  out  on  this 
march,  a  regiment  of  Wisconsin  veterans  bivouacked 
next  to  the  200th  Ind.  The  strange  antics  as  they 
threw  off  their  accouterments  attracted  Si's  atten- 
tion. 

"Look  a'  thar,"  he  said  to  Shorty.  "What  'n  name 
of  all  the  prophets  's  them  fellers  up  to?" 

"Seems  like  they  was  scratchin'  theirselves !" 

"I  s'pose  that's  on  account  of  the  dust  'n'  sweat," 
said  Si. 

"It's  a  mighty  sight  worse  'n  that!"  replied 
Shorty,  who  knew  more  about  these  things  than 
Si  did.  "I  reckon  we'll  all  be  doin'  like  they  are 
'fore  long." 

Si  whistled  softly  to  himself  as  he  watched  the 
Wisconsin  boys.  They  were  hitching  and  twisting 
their  shoulders  about,  evidently  enjoying  the  fric- 
tion of  the  clothing  upon  their  skins.  There  was  a 
general  employment  of  fingers,  and  often  one  would 
be  seen  getting  come  other  fellow  to  scratch  his 
back  around  where  he  couldn't  reach  himself.  If 
everybody  was  too  busy  to  do  this  for  him  he  would 
back  up  to  a  tree  and  rub  up  and  down  against  the 
bark. 

Life  has  few  pleasures  that  can  equal  the  sensa- 
tions of  delightful  enjoyment  produced  in  those 
days,  when  graybacks  were  plenty,  by  rubbing 
against  a  tree  that  nicely  fitted  the  hollow  of  the 
back,  after  throwing  off  one's  "traps"  at  the  end 
of  a  day's  march. 

Directly  the  Wisconsin  chaps  began  to  scatter  into 
the  woods.  Si  watched  them  as  they  got  behind 
the  trees  and  threw  off  their  blouses  and  shirts.  He 


THE    PLAGUE    OF    THE    SOLDIER.  !01 

thought  at  first  that  perhaps  they  were  going  in 
swimming,  but  there  was  no  strearr<  of  water  at 
hand  large  enough  to  justify  this  theory  in  explana- 
tion of  their  nudity.  As  each  man  set  down,  spread 
his  nether  garment  over  his  knees  and  appeared 
to  be  intently  engaged,  with  eyes  and  fingers,  Si's 
curiosity  was  very  much  excited. 

"Looks  's  if  they  wuz  all  mendin'  up  their  shirts 
an'  sewin'  on  buttons,"  said  Si,  "Guess  it's  part  o' 
their  regular  drill,  ain't  it,  Shorty?" 

Shorty  laughed  at  Si's  ignorant  simplicity.  He 
knew  what  those  veterans  were  doing,  and  he  knew 
that  Si  would  have  to  come  to  it,  but  he  didn't  want 
to  shock  his  tender  sensibilities  by  telling  him  of  it. 

"Them  fellers  ain't  sewin'  on  no  buttons,  Si,"  he 
replied;  "they're  skirmishin'." 

"Skirmishin' !"  exclaimed  Si,  opening  his  eyes 
very  wide.  "I  haint  seen  any  signs  o'  rebs  'round 
here,  'n'  there  aint  any  shootin'  goin'  on,  'nless  I've 
lost  my  hearin'.  Burned  if  't  aint  the  funniest  skir- 
mishin' I  ever  hearn  tell  of!" 

"Now,  don't  ax  me  nuthin'  more  'bout  it,  Si,"  said 
Shorty.  "All  I'm  goin'  to  tell  ye  is  that  the  longer  ye 
live  the  more  ye'll  find  things  out.  Let's  flax  'round 
'n'  git  supper!" 

A  little  while  after,  as  Si  was  squatting  on  the 
ground  holding  the  frying-pan  over  the  fire,  he  saw 
a  strange  insect  vaguely  wandering  about  on  the 
sleeve  of  his  blouse.  It  seemed  to  be  looking  for 
something,  and  Si  became  interested  as  he  watched 
it  traveling  up  and  down  his  arm.  He  had  never 
seen  one  like  it  before,'  and  he  thought  he  would 
like  to  know  what  it  was.  He  would  have  asked 


SI    KLEGG. 


Shorty,,  but  his  comrade  had  gone  to  the  spring  for 
water.  Casting  liis  eye  around  he  saw  the  Captain, 
who  chanced  to  be  sauntering  through  the  camp. 

The  Captain  of  Co.  Q  had  been  the  Principal  of 
a  seminary  in  Po&ey  County,  and  was  looked  upon 
with  awe  by  the  simple  folk  as  a  man  who  knew 
about  all  that  was  worth  knowing.  Si  thought  he 
might  be  able  to  tell  him  all  about  the  harmless-look- 
ing little  stranger. 

So  he  put  down  his  frying-pan  and  stepped  up 
to  the  Captain,  holding  out  his  arm  and  keeping  his 
eye  on  the  insect  so  that  he  shouldn't  get  away. 

"Good  evenin',  Cap.,"  said  Si,  touching  his  hat, 
and  addressing  him  with  that  familiar  disregard 
of  official  dignity  that  characterised  the  average  vol- 
unteer, who  generally  felt  that  he  was  just  as  good 
as  anybody  who  wore  shoulder  straps. 

"Good  evening,  Klegg,"  said  the  Captain,  return- 
ing the  salute. 

"Say,  Cap,  you've  been  ter  collidge  'n'  got  filled  up 
with  book-1'arnin'  ;  p'raps  ye  kin  tell  me  what  kind 
o'  bug  this  is.  I'm  jest  a  little  bit  curus  to  know." 

And  Si  pointed  to  the  object  of  his  inquiry  that 
was  leisurely  creeping  toward  a  hole  in  the  elbow 
of  his  outer  garment. 

"Well,  Josiah,"  said  the  Captain,  after  a  brief 
inspection,  "I  presume  I  don't  know  quite  as  much 
as  some  people  think  I  do  ;  but  I  guess  I  can  tell  you 
something  about  that  insect.  I  never  had  any  of 
them  myself,  but  I've  read  of  them." 

"Never  had  'em  himself,"  thought  Si.  "What  'n 
the  world  does  ha  mean?"  And  Si's  big  eyes  opened 
with  wonder  and  fear  at  the  thought  that  whatever 
it  was  he  had  "got  'em." 


THE    PLAGUE    OF    THE    SOLDIER. 


103 


"I  suppose,"  continued  the  Captain,  "you  would 
like  to  know  the  scientific  name?" 

"I  reck'n  that'll  do  's  well  's  any." 

"Well,  sir,  that  is  a  Pediculus.  That's  a  Latin 
word,  but  it's  his  name." 

"Purty  big  name  fer  such  a  leetle  bug,  ain't  it, 
Perfessor?"  observed  Si.  "Name's  big  enough  for 
an  el'fant  er  a  'potamus." 


"SKIRMISHING." 

"It  may  seem  so,  Klegg;  but  when  you  get  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  him  I  think  you  will  find 
that  his  name  isn't  any  too  large  for  him.  There 
is  a  good  deal  more  of  him  than  you  think. 

The  young  soldier's  eyes  opened  still  wider. 

"I  was  going  en  to  tell  you,"  continued  the  Cap- 
tain, "that  there  are  several  kinds  of  Pediculi — we 
don't  say  Pediculuses.  There  is  the  Pediculus 


104  SI   KLEGG. 

Capitis — Latin  again — but  it  means  the  kind  that 
lives  on  the  head.  I  presume  when  you  were  a 
little  shaver  your  mother  now  and  then  harrowed 
your  head  with  a  fine-tooth  comb?" 

"Ya-as"  said  Si;  "she  almost  took  the  hide  off 
sometimes,  'n'  made  me  yell  like  an  Injun." 

"Now,  Klegg,  I  don't  wish  to  cause  you  unneces- 
sary alarm,  but  I  will  say  that  the  head  insect  isn't 
a  circumstance  to  this  one  on  your  arm.  As  you 
would  express  it,  perhaps,  he  can't  hold  a  candle  to 
him.  This  fellow  is  the  Pediculus  Corporis!" 

"I  s'pose  that  means  they  eats  up  Corporals!" 
said  Si. 

"I  do  not  think  the  Pediculus  Corporis  confines 
himself  exclusively  to  Corporals,  as  his  name  might 
indicate,"  said  the  Captain,  laughing  at  Si's  literal 
translation  and  his  personal  application  of  the  word. 
"He  no  doubt  likes  a  juicy  and  succulent  Corporal, 
but  I  don't  believe  he  is  any  respecter  of  persons. 
That's  my  opinion,  from  what  I've  heard  about  him. 
It  is  likely  that  I  will  be  able  to  speak  more  defi- 
nitely, from  experience,  after  a  while.  Corporis 
means  that  he  is  the  kind  that  pastures  on  the  human 
body.  But  there's  one  thing  more  about  this  fellow. 
They  sometimes  call  him  Pediculus  Vestimenti;  that 
is  because  he  lives  around  in  the  clothing." 

"But  we  don't  wear  no  vests,"  said  Si,  taking  a 
practical  view  of  this  new  word;  "nothin'  but 
blouses,  'n'  pants,  'n'  shirts." 

"You  are  too  literal,  Klegg.  That  word  means 
any  kind  of  clothes.  But  I  guess  I've  told  you  as 
much  about  him  as  you  care  to  know  at  present.  If 
you  want  any  more  information,  after  two  or  three 


THE    PLAGUE    OF    THE    SOLDIER.  105 

weeks,  come  and  see  me  again.  I  think  by  that  time 
you  wiU  not  find  it  necessary  to  ask  any  more  ques- 
tions." 

Si  went  back  to  his  cooking,  with  the  Pediculus 
still  on  his  arm.  He  wanted  to  show  it  to  Shorty. 
The  Captain's  profound  explanation,  with  its  large 
words,  was  a  little  too  much  for  Si.  He  did  not  yet 
clearly  comprehend  the  matter,  and  as  he  walked 
thoughtfully  to  where  Shorty  was  "bilin'  "  the  coffee 
he  was  trying  to  get  through  his  head  what  it  all 
meant. 

"Hello,  Si,"  said  Shorty;  "whar  ye  bin?  What 
d'ye  mean,  goin'  off  'n'  leavin'  yer  sowbelly  half 
done?" 

"Sh-h !"  replied  Si.  "Ye  needn't  git  yer  back  up 
about  it.  Bin  talkin'  to  the  Cap'n.  Shorty,  look  at 
that  'ere  bug!" 

And  Si  pointed  to  the  object  of  the  Captain's 
lecture  on  natural  history  that  was  still  creeping 
on  his  arm.  Shorty  slapped  his  thigh  and  burst 
into  a  loud  laugh. 

"Was  that  what  ye  went  to  see  the  Cap'n  'bout?" 
he  asked  as  soon  as  he  could  speak. 

"Why — ya-as,"  replied  Si,  somewhat  surprised  at 
Shorty's  unseemly  levity.  "I  saw  that  thing  crawlin' 
round,  'n'  I  was  a-wonderin'  what  it  was,  fer  I  never 
seen  one  afore.  I  knowed  Cap  was  a  scolard,  'n'  a 
perfesser,  'n'  all  that  ?n'  I  'lowed  he  c'd  tell  me  all 
about  it.  So  I  went  'n'  axed  him." 

"What'd  he  tell  ye?" 

"He  told  me  lots  o'  big,  heathenish  words,  'n'  said 
this  bug  was  a  ridiculous,  or  suthin'  like  that." 

"  'Diculus  be  blowed !"  said  Shorty,    "The  ole  man 


106  SI    KLEGG. 

was  a'stufFm'  ye.  I'll  tell  ye  what  that  is,  Si,"  he 
added  solemnly,  "that's  a  grayback!" 

'"A  grayback!"  said  Si.  "I've  hearn  'em  call  the 
Johnnies  graybacks,  but  I  didn't  know  's  there  was 
any  other  kind/' 

"I  reck'n  'twont  be  long,  now,  t'll  yer  catches  on 
rer  the  meanin'  of  what  a  grayback  is.  Ye'll  know 
all  'bout  it  purty  sudden.  This  ain't  the  first  one  I 
ever  seen." 

Si  was  impressed,  as  he  had  often  been  before, 
by  Shorty's  superior  wisdom  and  experience. 

"See  here,  Si,*'  Shorty  continued,  as  his  eye  sud- 
denly lighted  U;D  with  a  brilliant  thought,  "I  guess 
I  kin  make  ye  understand  what  a  grayback  is.  What 
d'ye  call  that  coat  ye've  got  on?" 

"Why,  that's  a  fool  question;  it's  a  blouse,  of 
course!" 

"Jesso!"  said  Shorty.  "Now,  knock  off  the  fust 
letter  o'  that  word,  'n'  see  what  ye  got  left !" 

Si  looked  at  Shorty  as  if  he  thought  his  conun- 
drums were  an  indication  of  approaching  idiocy. 
Then  he  said,  half  to  himself : 

"Let's  see !  Blouse — blouse — take  off  the  'b'  'n'  she 
spells  1-o-u-s-e,  louse!  Great  Scott,  Shorty,  is  that 
a  louse?" 

"That's  jest  the  size  of  it,  Si.  Ye'li  have  millions 
of  'em  'fore  the  war's  over  'f  they  don't  hurry  up 
the  cakes." 

Si  looked  as  if  he  would  like  to  dig  a  hole  in  the 
ground,  get  into  it,  and  have  Shorty  cover  him  up. 

"Why  didn't  the  Cap'n  tell  me  it  was  that?  He 
said  suthin'  abour  ridiculus  ccrporalis,  and  I  thought 
he  was  makin'  fun  o'  me.  He  said  these  bugs  liked 
to  eat  fat  Corporals." 


THE    PLAGUE    OF    THE    SOLDIER. 


107 


"I  reck'n  .that's  so,"  replied  Shorty;  "but  they  likes 
other  people  jest  as  well — even  a  skinny  feller  like 
me.  They  lunches  off'n  privits,  'n'  Corp'rils,  'n' 
Kurnals,  'n'  Gin'rals,  all  the  same.  They  ain't  sat- 
isfied with  three  square  meals  a  day,  nuther;  they 
jest  eats  right  along  all  the  time  'tween  regular 


"NAW!    LEMME  SHOW  YE  HOW  !" 

meals.  They  allus  gits  hungry  in  the  night,  too,  and 
chaws  a  feller  up  while  he  sleeps.  They  don't  give 
ye  no  show  at  all.  I  rayther  think  the  graybacks 
likes  the  ossifers  best  if  they  could  have  their  ch'ice, 
'cause  they's  fatter  'n  the  privits;  they  gits  better 
grub." 

Si  fairly  turned  pale  as  he  contemplated  the  pic- 
ture so  graphically  portrayed  by  Shorty.  The 
latter's  explanation  was  far  more  effectual  in  letting 


108  SI    KLEGG. 

the  light  in.  upon  Si's  mind  than  the  scientific  dis- 
quisition of  the  "Perfesser."  He  had  now  a  pretty 
clear  idea  of  what  a  "grayback"  was.  Whatever  he 
lacked  to  make  his  knowledge  complete  was  soon 
supplied  in  the  regular  way.  But  Si  was  deeply 
grieved  and  shocked  at  what  Shorty  had  told  him. 
It  was  some  minutes  before  he  said  anything  more. 

"Shorty,"  he  said,  with  a  sadness  in  his  tone  that 
would  almost  have  moved  a  mule  to  tears,  "who'd 
a-thought  I'd  ever  git  as  low  down  's  this,  to  have 
them  all-fired  graybacks,  's  ye  call  'em,  crawlin'  over 
me.  How'd  mother  feel  if  she  knew  about  'em. 
She  wouldn't  sleep  a  wink  fer  a  month !" 

"Ye'll  have  to  come  to  it,  Si.  All  the  soljers  does, 
from  the  Major-Gin'rals  down  to  the  tail-end  of 
the  mule-whackers.  Ye  mind  them  'Sconsin  chaps 
we  was  lookin'  at  a  little  bit  ago?" 

"Yes,"  said  Si. 

"Well,  graybacks  was  what  ailed  'em.  The  fel- 
lers with  their  shirts  on  their  knees  was  killin'  'em 
off.  That's  what  they  calls  'skirmishin'.  There's 
other  kinds  o'  skirmishing  besides  fitin'  rebels !  Ye'd 
better  git  rid  of  that  one  on  yer  arm,  if  he  hasn't 
got  inside  already;  then  there'll  be  one  less  of  'em." 

Si  found  him  after  a  short  search,  and  proposed 
to  get  a  chip,  carry  him  to  the  fire  and  throw  him  in. 

"Naw!"  said  Shorty  in  disgust,  "that's  no  way. 
Lemme  show  yer  how !" 

Shorty  placed  one  thumb-nail  on  each  side  of  the 
insect.  There  was  a  quick  pressure,  a  snap  like  the 
crack  of  a  percussion  cap,  and  all  was  over. 

Si  shuddered,  and  wondered  if  he  could  ever  en- 
gage in  such  a  work  of  slaughter. 


THE    PLAGUE    OF    THE    SOLDIER.  109 

"D'ye  s'pose,"  he  said  to  Shorty,  "that  there's  any 
more  of  'em  on  me?"  And  he  began  to  hitch  his 
shoulders  about,  and  to  feel  a  desire  to  put  his 
fingers  to  active  use. 

"Shouldn't  wonder,"  replied  Shorty.  "Mebbe 
I've  got  'em,  too.  Let's  go  out'n  do  a  little  skir- 
mishin'  ourselves." 

"We'd  better  go  off  a  good  ways,"  said  Si,  "so's 
the  boys  won't  see  us." 

"You're  too  nice  and  pertickler  fcr  a  soljer,  Si. 
They'll  all  be  doin'  it,  even  the  Cap'n  himself,  by 
termorrer  or  nex'  day." 

They  went  out  back  of  the  camp,  where  Si  in- 
sisted on  getting  behind  the  largest  tree  he  could 
find.  Then  they  sat  down  and  engaged  in  that 
exciting  chase  of  the  Pediculus  up  and  down  the 
seams  of  their  garments,  so  familiar  to  air  who  wore 
either  the  blue  or  the  gray.  Thousands  of  nice 
young  men  who  are  now  preachers  and  doctors  and 
lawyers  and  statesmen,  felt  just  as  bad  about  it  at 
first  as  Si  did. 

"Shorty,"  said  Si,  as  they  slowly  walked  back  to 
eat  their  supper,  which  had  been  neglected  in  the 
excitement  of  the  hour,  "before  Co.  Q  left  Posey 
County  to  jine  the  rigiment  a  feller  't  was  home  on 
furlow  told  me  ter  let  my  finger-nails  grow  long*'n' 
sharp.  He  said  I'd  need  'em.  I  didn't  know  what 
he  meant  then,  but  I  b'lieye  I  do  now." 


CHAPTER   XII. 


A   WET   NIGHT  —  THE  DEPRAVITY   OF  AN   ARMY   TENT 
REVEALS  ITSELF. 

NIGHT  threw  her  dark  mantle  over  the  camp 
of  the  200th  Ind.  The  details  of  guard  and 
picket  had  been  made.  Videts,  with  sleep- 
less eye  and  listening  ear,  kept  watch  and  ward  on 
the  outposts,  while  faithful  sentries  trod  their  beats 
around  the  great  bivouac.  All  day  the  army  had 
marched,  and  was  to  take  the  road  again  at  an  early 
hour  in  the  morning.  Supper  had  been  eaten,  and 
the  tired  soldiers  were  gathered  around  the  camp- 
fires  that  gleamed  far  and  near  through  the  dark- 
ness. 

"Si,"  said  Shorty  to  his  chum  as  they  sat  on  a 
log  beside  the  dying  embers,  "how  d'ye  like  sol- 
dierin',  as  fur  as  ye've  got?" 

"It's  purty  hard  business,"  said  Si,  reflectively, 
"an'  I  s'pose  we  haint  seen  the  worst  on  it  yet,  either, 
from  what  I've  hearn  tell.  Pity  the  men  that  got  up 
this  war  can't  be  made  to  do  all  the  trampin'  'n' 
fitin'.  An'  them  fellers  up  in  old  Injjeanny  that 
come  'round  makin'  such  red-hot  speeches  to  git  us 
boys  to  'list,  wouldn't  it  be  fun  to  see  'em  humpin' 
'long  with  gun  'n'  knapsack,  'n'  chawin'  hardtack, 
'n'  stan'in'  guard  nights,  'n'  pourhv  water  on  their 


A    WET    NIGHT. 


Ill 


STRUCK    BY    A    CYCLONE. 

blisters,  'n'  pickin'  graybacks  off  their  shirts,   V 
p'leecin'  camp,  'n'  washin'  their  own  clothes?" 

"I  think  we'd  enj'y  seein'  'em  do  all  that,"  said 
Shorty,  laughing  at  the  picture  Si  had  drawn.     "I 


112  SI    KLEGG. 

reckon  most  of  'em  'd  peter  out  purty  quick,  and  I'd 
like  to  hear  what  soft  o'  speeches  they'd  make  then. 
I  tell  ye,  Si,  there's  a  big  diff  rence  'tween  goin'  yer- 
self  an'  tellin'  some  other  feller  to  go." 

"Mebbe  they'll  git  to  draftin'  after  a  while,"  ob- 
served Si,  "  'n'  if  they  do  I  hope  that'll  ketch  em !" 

"Wall,  we're  in  fur  it,  anyway,"  said  Shorty.  Let's 
make  down  the  bed  'n'  turn  in !" 

It  didn't  take  long  to  complete  the  arrangements 
for  the  night.  They  spread  their  "gum"  blankets, 
or  ponchos,  on  the  ground,  within  the  tent,  and  on 
these  their  wool  blankets,  placed  their  knapsacks  at 
the  h2ad  for  pillows,  and  that  was  all.  It  was 
warmer  than  usual  that  evening,  and  they  stripped 
down  to  their  nether  garments. 

"Feels  good  once  in  a  while,"  said  Si,  "to  peel 
a  feller's  clothes  oft,  'n'  sleep  in  a  Christian-like  way. 
But,  Great  Scott!  Shorty,  ain't  this  ground  lumpy? 
It's  like  lying  on  a  big  washboard.  I  scooted  all 
over  the  country  huntin'  fer  straw  to-night.  There 
wasn't  but  one  little  stack  within  a  mile  of  camp. 
Them  derned  Ohio  chaps  gobbled  every  smidgin  of 
it.  They  didn't  leave  enuff  to  make  a  hummin'-bird's 
nest.  The  200th  Ind.'ll  git  even  with  'em  some  day." 

So  Si  and  Shorty  crept  in  between  the  blankets, 
drew  the  top  one  up  to  their  chins,  and  adjusted 
their  bodily  protuberances  as  best  they  could  to  fit 
the  ridges  and  hollows  beneath  them. 

"Now,  Si,"  said  Shorty,  "don't  ye  git  to  fitin' 
rebels  in  yer  sleep  and  kick  the  kiver  off,  as  ye  did 
last  night." 

As  they  lay  there  their  ears  caught  the  music  of 
the  bugles  sounding  the  "tattoo,"  Far  and  near 


A    WET    NIGHT.  113 

floated  through  the  clear  night  air  the  familiar  mel- 
ody that  warned  every  soldier  not  on  duty  to  go 
to  bed.  Next  to  the  200th  Ind.  lay  a  regiment  of 


TAKING    THE    TOP    RAIL. 

Michigan  veterans,  who  struck  up,  following 
the  strains  of  the  bugles : 

Say,  oh  Dutch'y,  will  ye  fight  mit  Si-gel? 

Zwei  glass  o'  la-ger,  Yaw!  Yaw!  Yaw!!! 
Will  yet  fight  to  help  de  bul-ly  ea-gle? 

Schweitzer-ksse  und  pret-zels,  Hur-raw!  raw! 
raw! 


114  SI    KLEGG. 

During  the  night  there  came  one  of  those  sudden 
storms  that  .seemed  to  be  sent  by  an  inscrutable 
Providence  especially  to  give  variety  to  the  soldier's 
life. 

A  well-developed  cyclone  struck  the  camp,  and 
Si  and  Shorty  were  soon  awakened  by  the  racket. 
The  wind  was  blowing  and  whirling  in  fierce  gusts, 
wrenching  out  the  tent-pins  or  snapping  the  ropes 
as  if  they  were  threads.  Everywhere  was  heard 
the  flapping  of  canvas,  and  the  yells  and  shouts  of 
the  men  as  they  dashed  about  in  the  darkness  and 
wild  confusion.  Many  of  the  tents  were  already 
prostrate,  and  their  demoralized  inmates  were  crawl- 
ing out  from  under  the  ruin..  To  crown  all  the  rain 
began  to  fall  in  torrents.  The  camp  was  a  vast 
pandemonium.  The  blackest  darkness  prevailed, 
save  when -the  scene  was  illuminated  by  flashes  of 
lightning.  These  were  followed  by  peals  of  thunder 
that  made  the  stoutest  quake. 

Si  sprang  up  at  the  first  alarm.  "Git  up,  here, 
you  fellers!"  he  shouted.  "We'd  better  go  outside 
and  grab  the  ropes,  or  the  hull  shebang  '11  go  over." 

There  was  not  a  moment  to  spare.  Si  dashed 
out  into"  the  storm  and  darkness,  followed  by  his 
comrades.  Seizing  the  ropes,  some  of  which  were 
already  loosened,  they  braced  themselves  and  hung 
on  for  dear  life,  in  the  drenching  rain,  their  hair  and 
garments  streaming  in  the  wind. 

Si's  prompt  action  saved  the  tent  from  the  general 
wreck.  The  fury  of  the  storm  was  soon  past.  Si 
and  his  comrades,  after  driving  the  pins  and  secur- 
ing the  ropes,  re-entered  the  tent,  wet  and  shivering 
— for  the  mercury  had  gone  down  with  a  tumble,  or 


A    WET    NIGHT. 


115 


rather  it  would  have  done  so  had  they  been  supplied 
with  thermometers.  But  the  scanty  costume  in 
which  Si  found  himself  afforded  a  weather  indicator 
sufficiently  accurate  for  all  practical  purposes. 


SUPPER   UNDER    DIFFICULTIES. 

The  ground  was  flooded,  and  their  blankets  and 
garments  were  fast  absorbing  the  water  that  flowed 
around  in  such  an  exasperating  way.  Sleep  under 


116  SI    KLEGG. 

such  conditions  was  out  of  the  question.  Si  and 
Shorty  put  on  their  clothes  and  tried  to  make  the 
best  of  their  sorry  plight. 

By  this  time  the  rain  had  nearly  ceased.  For- 
tunately they  had  laid  in  a  good  stock  of  fuel  the 
night  before,  and  after  a  little  patient  effort  they 
succeeded  in  getting  a  fire  started.  Around  this 
the  boys  hovered,  alternately  warming  their  calves 
and  shins. 

"This  is  a  leetle  more'n  I  bargained  fer,"  said  Si. 
Then,  taking  a  philosophical  view  of  the  case,  he 
added,  "but  there's  one  good  thing  about  it,  Shorty, 
we'll  be  all  fixed  for  mornin',  an'  we  won't  have  to 
get  up  when  they  sound  the  revel-lee.  The  buglers 
kin  jest  bust  theirselves  a-blowin'  fer  all  I  keer!" 

In  this  way  the  soldiers  spent  the  remainder  of  the 
night.  Before  daybreak  the  blast  of  a  hundred 
bugles  rang  out,  but  there  was  little  need  for  the 
reveille. 

Breakfast  was  soon  over,  and  in  the  gray  dawn 
of  that  murky  morning  the  long  column  went  trail- 
ing on  its  way.  The  weather  gave  promise  of  a 
sloppy  day,  and  the  indications  were  fully  verified. 
A  drizzling  rain  set  in,  and  continued  without  ces- 
sation. The  boys  put  their  heads  through  the  holes 
in  their  ponchos,  from  the  corners  of  which  the 
water  streamed.  With  their  muskets  at  a  "secure" 
they  sloshed  along  through  the  mud,  hour  after 
hour.  In  spite  of  their  "gums"  the  water  found  its 
way  in  at  the  back  of  the  neck  and  trickled  down 
their  bodies.  Their  clothes  became  saturated,  and 
they  were  altogether  about  as  miserable  as  it  is 
possible  for  mortals  to  be. 


A    WET    NIGHT.  117 

It  seemed  to  Si  that  the  maximum  of  discomfort 
had  been  reached.  He  had  experienced  one  thing 
after  another  during  the  few  weeks  since  he  left 


A    FIELD    SHANTY. 

home,  and  he  thought  each  in  turn  was  worse  than 
the  last,  and  about  as  bad  as  it  could  be.     But  Si 
learned  a  good  deal  more  before  he  graduated. 
All   through   the   long,  dreary    day   the    soldiers 


118  SI    KLEGG. 

plodded  on.  There  was  little  comfort  to  be  derived 
from  the  "rest,"  for  the  ground  was  soaked  with 
water. 

"Why  didn't  we  think  of  it,  Shorty,"  said  Si,  "  'n' 
make  it  part  o'  the  bargain  when  we  'listed  that  we 
were  to  have  umbrellers.  These  gum  things  don't 
amount  to  shucks,  nohow,  to  keep  the  rain  off.  I 
sh'd  think  Uncle  Sam  might  do  that  much  for  us !" 

"I  reckon  our  clothes  '11  ba  purty  well  washed  by 
the  time  we  git  out  o'  this  mess,"  said  Shorty. 

"Feels  that  way,"  said  Si;  "but  how  about  the 
bilin'?  A  cold  bath  jest  refreshes  them  pesky  little 
varmints,  'n'  makes  'em  livelier  'n  ever.  Say,  Shorty, 
ye  didn't  write  home  anything  'bout  our  havin'  gray- 
backs,  did  ye?" 

"No,  not  yet;  but  I  was  thinkin'  I'd  tell  'em  'bout 
it  one  o'  these  days." 

"Well,  Shorty,  1  ain't  going  to  tell  my  folks;  it  'd 
jest  make  my  mother  feel  awful  to  know  I  was  that 
way.  And  sister  Maria,  and — " 

Si  was  thinking  aloud,  and  was  going  to  say 
"Annabel,"  but  he  checked  himself.  That  name  was 
not  to  be  mentioned  in  other  ears.  But  he  was 
afraid  she  would  go  back  on  him  if  she  knew  all 
about  it. 

It  was  nearly  night  when  the  200th  Ind.,  drip- 
ping and  discouraged,  filed  off  into  a  field  of  stand- 
ing corn  to  pass  the  night.  The  men  sank  to  their 
shoetops  in  the  soft  earth.  Si  remarked  to  Shorty 
that  he  didn't  see  why  the  officers  should  turn  'em 
loose  in  such  a  place  as  that.  But  the  longer  he 
lived  the  more  he  found  out  about  those  things. 
That  was  the  way  they  always  did. 


A    WET    NIGHT. 


119 


In  five  minutes  after  arms  were  stacked  not  a 
cornstalk  remained  standing  in  the  field.  During 
the  afternoon  the  troops  had  gone  over  a  long 
stretch  of  swarrro  road  that  was  almost  impassable 
for  teams.  Fears  were  entertained  that  the  wagons 


IN    THE    MORNING. 

of  the  regiment  would  not  be  up  that  night,  and  they 
would  not  have  their  tents  to  shelter  them  from  the 
storm.  In  anticipation  of  such  a  calamity  the  boys; 
gathered  in  the  cornstalks,  having  a  vague  idea  that 
they  would  help  out  in  case  of  emergency. 

Then  there  was  a  scramble  for  the  fences.  Recog- 
nizing the  need  of  good  fuel,  an  order  from  the 
General  was  filtered  through  the  various  headquar- 


120  SI    KLEGG. 

ters  that  the  men  might  take  the  top  rails,  only, 
from  the  fence  inclosing  the  field.  This  order  was 
literally  interpreted  and  carried  out,  each  man,  suc- 
cessively, taking  the  "top  rail"  as  he  found  it.  The 
very  speedy  result  was  that  the  bottom  rails  bscame 
the  "top,"  and  then  there  weren't  any.  Almost  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye  the  entire  fence  disappeared. 

The  drizzle  continued  through  the  evening,  and 
by  the  sputtering  fires  the  soldiers  prepared  and 
ate  their  frugal  suppers.  Word  came  that,  as  was 
feared,  the  wagons  were  hopelessly  bemired  threa 
or  four  miles  back,  and  the  men  would  have  to  make 
such  shift  as  they  could. 

The  prospect  was  dreary  and  cheerless  enough. 
It  was  little  wonder  that  many  of  the  young  Hoosiers 
felt  as  if  they  wanted  to  qu'lt  and  go  home.  But 
with  that  wonderful  facility  for  adapting  themselves 
to  circumstances  that  marked  the  volunteer  soldiers, 
they  set  about  the  work  of  preparing  for  the  night. 
No  one  who  has  not  "been  there"  can  imagine  how 
good  a  degree  of  comfort — comparatively  speaking, 
of  course — it  was  possible  to  reach,  with  such  sur- 
roundings, by  the  exercise  of  a  little  patience,  in- 
genuity and  industry. 

Si  and  Shorty  and  the  others  of  the  "mess"  be- 
stirred themselves,  and  it  did  not  take  them  more 
than  20  minutes  to  build,  out  of  rails  and  cornstalks, 
a  shelter  that  was  really  inviting.  They  kindled  a 
big  fire  in  front  of  it,  laid  some  rails  within,  covered 
them  with  stalks,  and  on  these  spread  their  blankets. 
Si,  who  had  "bossed"  the  job,  viewed  the  work  with 
great  satisfaction. 

"I  tell  ye,  that's  no  slouch  of  a  shanty!"  said  he. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


si  "STRAGGLED" — AND  THE  OTHER  BOYS  MADE  IT 

MIGHTY  LIVELY  FOR  HIM.  • 

ONE  day  while  Buell  was  chasing  Bragg,  two 
or  three  weeks  after  leaving  Louisville,  the 
army  was  pushing  forward  at  a  gait  that 
made  the  cavalry  ahead  trot  half  the  time  to  keep 
out  of  the  way  of  the  infantry.  The  extraordinary 
speed  that  day  was  due  to  the  fact  that  there  were 
no  rebels  in  sight.  Half  a  dozen  ragged  troopers 
with  shotguns,  a  mile  away,  would  have  caused  the 
whole  army  to  halt,  form  line-of -battle,  and  stay 
there  the  rest  of  the  day. 

The  tanned  veterans  didn't  mind  the  marching. 
They  stretched  their  legs  and  went  swinging  along 
with  a  happy-go-lucky  air,  always  ready  for  any- 
thing that  might  turn  up.  But  it  was  rough  on  the 
new  troops,  just  from  home.  It  taxed  their  locomo- 
tive powers  to  the  utmost  limit. 

The  boys  of  the  200th  Ind.  started  out  bravely. 
Their  fresh,  clean  faces,  new  uniforms,  and  shiny 
accouterments  contrasted  strongly  with  those  of  the 
weather-beaten  soldiers  of  '61.  You  could  tell  a 
"tenderfoot"  as  far  as  you  could  see  him. 

They  trudged  along  in  fair  shape  for  an  hour  or 
two.  Before  starting  in  the  morning  strict  orders 
had  been  read  to  the  regiment  forbidding  strag- 
gling, for  any  reason,  under  the  most  terrifying 
pains  and  penalties. 


122  SI    KLEGG. 

"Them  fellers  that's  been  in  the  service  longer'n 
we  have  think  they're  smart,"  said  Si  Klegg,  as 
he  and  Shorty  plodded  on,  both  already  a  little 
blown.  "We'll  show  'em  that  we  can  hoof  it  jest 
as  fast  as  they  can,  and  jest  as  fur  in  a  day!" 

"Seems  to  me  we're  git'n  over  the  ground  purty 
lively  to-day,"  replied  Shorty,  who  was  in  a  grumb- 
ling mood.  "Wonder  if  the  Gin'ral  thinks  we're 
hosses !  I'm  a  little  short  o'  wind,  and  these  pesky 
gunboats  are  scrapin'  the  bark  off'n  my  feet;  but 
I'll  keep  up  or  bust." 

Though  the  spirit  of  these  young  patriots  was 
willing,  the  flesh  was  weak.  It  wasn't  long  till  Si 
began  to  limp.  Now  and  then  a  groan  escaped  his 
lips  as  a  fresh  blister  "broke."  But  Si  clinched  his 
teeth,  humped  his  back  to  ease  his  shoulders  from 
the  weight  of  his  knapsack,  screwed  up  his  courage, 
and  tramped  on  over  the  stony  pike.  He  thought  the 
breathing  spells  were  very  short  and  a  long  way 
apart. 

_  Si's  knapsack  had  experienced  the  universal 
shrinkage,  as  told  in  a  previous  chapter  of  our 
hero's  martial  career.  He  still  had,  however,  a 
good  many  things  that  he  thought  he  couldn't  spare, 
but  which  he  found  later  he  could  very  well  get 
along  without. 

By  noon  the  200th  began  to  show  signs  of  going 
to  pieces.  The  column  stretched  out  longer  and 
longer,  like  a  piece  of  India-rubber.  The  ranks 
looked  thin  and  ragged.  Lame  and  foot-sore,  with 
wo-begone  faces,  their  bodies  aching  in  every  bone 
and  tendon,  and  overcome  with  a  weariness  that  no 
one  can  realize  unless  he  has  "been  there,"  the  men 


SI    "STRAGGLED. 


123 


dropped  out  one  by  one  and  threw  themselves  into 
the  fence-corners  to  rest.  The  officers  stormed  and 
drew  their  swords  in  vain.  Nature — that  is,  the 
nature  of  a  new  soldier — could  endure  no  more.  The 


"DON'T  STAB  ME." 

ambulances  were  filled  to  their  utmost,  but  these 
would  not  hold  a  twentieth  part  of  the  crippled  and 
suffering  men. 

"How're  ye  gittin'  on,  Shorty?"   said  Si,,  as  he 
and  his  comrade  still  struggled  along. 


124  SI    KLEGG. 

"Fair  to  middlin',"  replied  Shorty.  "I'm  goin'  to 
try  and  pull  through !" 

"I  thought  I  could,"  said  Si,  "but  I'm  'bout  played 
out!  I  am,  fer  a  fact!  I  guess  ef  I  rest  a  bit  I'll  ba 
able  to  ketch  up  after  a  while." 

Si  didn't  know  till  he  found  out  by  experience 
how  hard  it  was  to  "ketch  up"  when  a  soldier  once 
got  behind  on  the  march.  Si  was  too  fat  for  a  good 
roadster,  but  it  didn't  take  a  great  while  to  work 
off  his  surplus  flesh.  Shorty  was  tall  and  slim, 
mostly  bone — one  of  the  sort  that  always  stood  the 
marching  best. 

Si  crept  up  to  the  Orderly  and  told  him  that  he 
would  have  to  stop  and  puff  a  while  and  give  his 
blisters  a  rest.  He'd  pull  up  with  Co.  Q  in  an  hour 
or  so. 

"Better  not,  Si"  said  the  Orderly;  "ye  know  it's 
agin  orders,  and  the  rear-guard  '11  punch  ye  with 
their  bay'net's  if  they  catch  ye  stragglin'." 

But  Si  concluded  that  if  he  mast  die  for  his 
country  it  would  be  sweeter  to  do  so  by  having  a 
bayonet  inserted  in  his  vitals,  and  then  it  would  be 
all  over  with  at  once,  than  to  walk  himself  to  death. 

50  he  gradually  fell  back  till  be  reached  the  tail 
of  the  company.     Watching  his  opportunity,  he  left 
the  ranks,  crept  into  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  lay 
down,   feeling  as   if  he   had   been   run   through   a 
grist-mill.     Soon  the  rear-guard  of  the.  200th  came 
along,  with  fixed  bayonets,  driving  before  them  like 
a  flock  of  frightened  sheep  a  motley  crowd  of  limp- 
ing, groaning  men,  gathered  up  by  the  roadside. 

51  lay  very  still,  hoping  to  escape  discovery;  but 
the  keen  eye  of  the  officer  detected  the  blue  heap 
among  the  bushes. 


SI    "STRAGGLED.5 


125 


"Bring  that  man  out!"  said  he  sternly  to  one  of 
the  guards. 

Poor  Si  scarcely  dare  to  breathe.     He  hoped  the 


HYDROPATHIC    TREATMENT. 

man  would  think  he  was  dead,  and  therefore  no 
longer  of  any  account.  But  the  soldier  began  to 
prod  him  with  his  bayonet,  ordering  him  to  get  up 
and  move  on, 


126  SI    KLEGG. 

"Look-a-here,  pard,"  said  Si,  "don't  stab  me  with 
that  thing!  I  jest  can't  git  along  any  furder  till  I 
blow  a  little.  You  please  lemme  be,  an'  I'll  do  as 
much  for  you.  P'rhaps  some  time  you'll  get  played 
out  and  I'll  be  on  the  rear-guard.  The  Cap'n  '11  tell 
ma  tsr  fotch  ye  'long,  an'  I'll  jest  let  ye  rest,  so  I 
will!" 

This  view  of  the  case  struck  the  guard  with  some 
force.  Moved  with  compassion,  he  turned  away, 
leaving  Si  to  enjoy  his  rest. 

Si  threw  aside  his  traps,  took  off  his  shoes  and 
stockings,  and  bathed  his  feet  with  water  from  his 
canteen.  He  ate  a  couple  of  hardtack,  and  in  the 
course  of  half  an  hour  began  to  feel  more  like  Si 
Klegg.  He  geared  himself  up,  shouldered  his  gun, 
and  started  to  "ketch  up." 

All  this  time  the  stream  of  troops — regiments, 
brigades  and  divisions — had  flowed  on.  Of  course, 
soldiers  who  were  with  their  colors  had  the  right  of 
way,  and  the  stragglers  were  obliged  to  stumble 
along  as  best  they  could,  over  the  logs  and  through 
the  bushes  at  the  sides  of  the  roads  or  skirt  along 
the  edges  of  the  fields  and  woods  adjoining.  It  was 
this  fact  added  to  their  exhausted  and  crippled  con- 
dition, that  made  it  almost  impossible  for  stragglers 
to  overtake  their  regiments  until  they  halted  for  the 
night.  Even  then  it  was  often  midnight  before  the 
last  of  the  wayfarers,  weary  and  worn,  dragged 
their  aching  limbs  into  camp. 

Si  started  forward  briskly,  but  soon  found  it  was 
no  easy  matter  to  gain  the  mile  or  so  that  the  200th 
Ind.  was  now  ahead  of  him.  It  was  about  all  he 
could  do  to  keep  up  with  the  fast-moving  column  and 


SI    ''STRAGGLED."  12? 

avoid  falling  still  further  to  the  rear.  Presently 
the  bugles  sounded  a  halt  for  one  of  the  hourly  rests. 

"Now,"  said  Si  to  himself,  "I'll  have  a  good  chance 
to  git  along  tor'd  the  front.  The  soljers  '11  all  lie 
down  in  the  fence  corners  an'  leave  the  road  clear. 
I'll  jest  git  up  an'  dust!" 

The  sound  of  the  bugles  had  scarcely  died  away 
when  the  pike  was  deserted,  and  on  either  side,  as 
far  as  tho  eye  could  reach,  the  prostrate  men  that 
covered  the  ground  mingled  in  a  long  fringe  of  blue. 

Si  got  up  into  the  road  and  started  along  the  lane 
between  these  lines  of  recumbent  soldiers.  His  gait 
was  a  little  shaky,  for  the  blisters  on  his  feet  be- 
gan to  give  evidence  of  renewed  activity.  He 
trudged  pluckily  along,  limping  some  in  spite  of 
himself,  but  on  the  whole  making  vory  good  head- 
way. 

Pretty  soon  he  struck  a  veteran  regiment  from 
Illinois,  the  members  of  which  were  sitting  and 
lying  around  in  sll  the  picturesque  and  indescrib- 
able postures  which  the  old  soldiers  found  gave 
them  the  greatest  comfort  during  a  "rest."  Then 
the  fun  commenced — that  is,  it  was  great  sport  for 
the  Sucker  boys,  though  Si  did  not  readily  appreciate 
the  humorous  features  of  the  scene. 

"What  rigiment  is  this?"  asked  Si,  timidly. 

"Same  old  rijiment!"  was  the  answer  from  half 
a  dozen  at  once.  A  single  glance  told  the  swarthy 
veterans  that  the  fresh-looking  youth  who  asked 
this  conundrum  belonged  to  one  of  the  new  regi- 
ments, and  they  immediately  opened  their  batteries 
upon  him :  • 

-Left— left— left!" 


128  SI    KLECti. 

"Hayfoot  —  strawf  oot !  Hayf  oot  —  strawf  oot !" 
keeping  time  with  Si's  somewhat  irregular  steps. 

"Hello,  there,  you !  Change  step  and  you'll  march 
easier !" 

"Look  at  that  'ere  poor  feller;  the  only  man  left 
alive  of  his  regiment!  Great  Cesar,  how  they  must 
have  suffered!  Say,  what  rijtment  did  you 
b'long  to?" 

"Paymaster's  comin',  boys,  here's  a  chap  with 
a  pay-roll  round  his  neck!"  Si  had  put  on  that 
morning  the  last  of  the  paper  collars  he  had  brought 
from  home. 

"You'd  better  shed  that  knapsack,  or  it'll  be  the 
death  of  ye!" 

"I  say,  there,  how's  all  the  folks  to  home?" 

"How  d'ye  like  it  as  far  as  you've  got,  any  way?" 

"Git  some  commissary  and  pour  into  them  gun- 
boats!" 

"Second  relief's  come,  boys;  we  can  all  go  home 
now." 

"Grab  a  root!" 

"Hep— hep— hep!" 

"How'd  ye  leave  Mary  Ann?" 

Si  had  never  been  under  such  a  fire  before.  He 
stood  it  as  long  as  he  could,  and  then  he  stopped. 

"Halt!"  shouted  a  chorus  of  voices.  "Shoulder 
—Arms!"  "Order— Arms !" 

By  this  time  Si's  wrath  was  at  the  boiling  point. 
Casting  around  him  a  look  of  defiance,  he  exclaimed: 

"You  cowardly  blaggards ;  I  can  jest  lick  any  two 
of  ye,  an'  I'll  dare  ye  to  come  on.  If  the  200th  Ind. 
was  here  we'd  clean  out  the  hull  pack  of  ye  quicker'n 
ye  can  say  scat !" 


SI   "STRAGGLED/* 


129 


This  is  where  Si  made  a  mistake.  He  ought  to 
have  kept  right  on  and  said  nothing.  But  Si  had 
to  find  out  all  these  things  by  experience,  as  the  rest 
of  the  boys  did. 


SI    DEFIES    A    REGIMENT. 

All  the  members  of  the  regiment  now  took  a 
hand  in  the  game.  They  just  got  right*1  up  and 
yelled,  discharging  at  Si  a  volley  of  expletives  and 
pointed  remarks  that  drove  him  to  desperation.  In- 
stinctively he  brought  up  his  gun. 

"Load  in  nine  times — Load!"  shouted  a  dozen  of 
the  Illinois  tramps. 

If  Si's  gun  had  been  loaded  he  would  have  shot 
somebody,  regardless  of  consequences.  Thinking  of 


130  SI    KLEGG, 

his  bayonet,  he  jerked  it  quickly  from  its  scabbard. 

"Fix — Bay'net!"  yelled  the  ragged  veterans. 

And  he  did,  though  it  was  more  from  the  prompt- 
ings of  his  own  hostile  feelings  than  in  obedience 
to  the  orders. 

"Charge— Bay'net!" 

Si  had  completely  lost  control  of  himself  in  his 
overpowering  rage.  With  blood  in  his  eye,  he  came 
to  a  charge,  glancing  fiercely  from  one  side  of  the 
road  to  the  other,  uncertain  where  to  begin  the 
assault. 

Instantly  there  was  a  loud  clicking  all  along  the 
line.  The  Illinois  soldiers,  almost  to  a  man,  fixed 
their  bayonets.  Half  of  them  sprang  to  their  feet, 
and  all  aimed  their  shining  points  at  the  poor  young 
Hoosier  patriot,  filling  the  air  with  shouts  of 
derision. 

It  was  plain,  even  to  Si  in  his  inflamed  state  of 
mind,  that  the  odds  against  him  were  too  heavy. 

"Unfix — Bay'net !"  came  from  half  the  regiment. 

Si  concluded  he  had  better  get  out  of  a  bad  scrape 
the  best  way  he  could.  So  he  took  off  his  bayonet 
and  put  it  back  in  its  place.  He  shouted  words  of 
defiance  to  his  tormentors,  but  they  could  not  be 
heard  in^  the  din. 

"Shoulder  —  Arms !"  "Right  —  Face !  "Right 
shoulder  shift — Arms!"  "Forward — March!"  These 
commands  came  in  quick  succession  from  the  ranks 
amidst  roars  of  laughter. 

Si  obeyed  the  orders  and  started  off. 

"Left— left— left!" 

"Hayfoot— strawf  oot !" 

Forgetting  his  blisters,  Si  took  the  double-quick, 


SI    "STRAGGLED."  131 

while  the  mob  swung  their  caps  and  howled  with 
delight. 

Si  didn't  "ketch  up"  with  the  200  Ind.  until  after 
it  had  gone  into  camp.  "  Shorty  had  a  quart  of  hot 
coffee  waiting  for  him. 

"Shorty,"  said  Si,  as  they  sat  by  the  fire,  "I'm 
goin'  to  drop  dead  in  my  tracks  before  I'll  fall  out 
again." 

"Why,  what's  the  matter?" 

"Oh,  nothin';  only  you  jest  try  it,"  said  Si. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  "fun"  the  soldiers  had  in 
the  army  to  brighten  their  otherwise  dark  and  cheer- 
less lives,  they  would  all  have  died.  Si  was  a  true 
type  of  those  who  had  to  suffer  for  the  good  of  others 
until  they  learned  wisdom  in  the  school  of  experience. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


SI  AND  THE  MULES  —  ONE  DAY'S  RICH  EXPERIENCE  AS 
COMPANY  TEAMSTER. 

££T  'VE  GOT  to  have  a  man  to  drive  team  for  a 
few  days,"  said  the  Orderly  of  Co.  Q  of  the 
200th  Ind.  one  morning  at  roll-call.     "The 
teamster's  sick  and  I'm  goin'  to  send  him  to  the  hos- 
pital to-day." 

The  Orderly-Sergeant  of  Co.  Q  was  a  wily  fellow. 
All  Orderly-Sergeants  have  to  be.  If  they  are  not 
naturally,  they  learn  it  very  quickly,  or  lose  the  little 
diamond  on  their  sleeves,  if  not  all  their  stripes. 
The  man  who  undertakes  to  manage  60  or  75  stal- 
wart, high-spirited  young  Americans  through  all 
their  moods  and  tenses,  and  every  kind  of  weather, 
has  to  be  as  wise  as  a  serpent,  though  not  neces- 
sarily as  harmless  as  a  dove.  Therefore,  the  Or- 
derly-Sergeant didn't  tell  the  boys  what  ailed  the 
teamster.  The  fact  was  that  the  heels  of  the  "off- 
wheeler"  caught  the  teamster  in  the  pit  of  the  stom-. 
ach  and  doubled  him  up  so  badly  that  he  wouldn't  be 
fit  for  duty  for  a  week.  It  was  worse  than  the 
green-corn  colic. 

"  'Tisn't  every  man,"  continued  the  Orderly, 
"that's  gifted  with  fust-class  talent  fur  drivin'  team. 
I'd  like  to  find  the  best  man  to  steer  them  animals, 
an'  if  there's  a  real  sientifick  mule-whacker  in  this 


fr'l    AND    THE    MULES. 


133 


comp'ny  let  him  speak  up  an'  I'll  detail  him  right  off. 
It'll  be  a  soft  thing  fur  somebody;  them  mules  are 
daisies !" 

Somehow  they  didn't  all  speak  at  once.  The  com- 
pany had  only  had  the  team  two  or  three  weeks,  but 
the  boys  were  not  dull  of  hearing,  and  ominous 
sounds  had  come  to  them  from  the  rear  of  the  camp 


HE   LET    BOTH    HEELS    FLY. 

at  all  hours  of  the  night — the  maddening  "Yee- 
haw-w-w !"  of  the  long-eared  brutes,  and  the  frantic 
ejaculations  of  the  teamster,  spiced  with  oaths  that 
would  have  sent  a  shudder  through  "our  army  in 
Flanders." 

So  they  did  not  apply  for  the  vacant  saddle  with 
that  alacrity  which  might  have  been  expected,  when 


134  SI    KLEGG. 

so  good  a  chance  was  offered  ior  a  soldier  to  ride 
and  get  his  traps  carried  on  a  wagon.  Whenever 
an  infantryman  threw  away  such  an  opportunity 
it  is  safe  to  assume  that  there  was  some  good  reason 
for  it. 

But  the  idea  of  riding  for  a  few  days  and  letting 
his  blisters  get  well  was  too  much  for  Si  Klegg. 
Besides,  he  thought  if  there  was  any  one  thing  he 
could  do  better  than  another  it  was  driving  a  team. 
He  had  been  doing  it  on  his  father's  farm  all  his  life. 
It  is  true,  he  didn't  know  much  about  mules,  but  he 
imagined  they  wrere  a  good  deal  like  horses. 

"I'm  your  man !"  spoke  up  Si  cheerfully. 

"All  right!"  said  the  Orderly.  ''Company,  Right 
— Face !  Break  ranks — March !" 

"There  ain't  any  trouble  about  it!"  Si  said  to 
Shorty  as  they  walked  back  to  the  tent.  "I  reckon 
it's  easy  enough  to  manage  mules  if  you  go  at  'em 
right.  It'll  be  just  fun  for  me  to  drive  team.  '  And 
say,  Shorty,  I'll  carry  all  your  traps  on  my  wagon. 
That'll  be  a  heap  better'n  totin'  'em !" 

Si  gathered  up  his  outfit  and  started  to  enter  upon 
his  new  sphere  of  usefulness. 

"Shall  I  take  my  gun  and  bay'net  along?"  he 
asked  the  Orderly. 

"Guess  you'd  better;  they  might  come  handy!" 
replied  the  Orderly,  as  he  thought  of  the  teamster's 
disastrous  encounter  with  the  "off- wheeler." 

After  Shorty  had  eaten  his  breakfast  he  thought 
he  would  go  back  to  the  tent  and  see  how  Si  was 
getting  on.  With  thoughtful  care  Si  had  fed  his 
mules  before  appeasing  his  own  appetite,  and  Shorty 
found  him  just  waiting  for  his  coffee  to  cool  a  bit, 


SI   AND   THE    MULES.  135 

"Why,  them  'ere  mules  is  jist  as  gen  tie  V  peace- 
I'uJ-like  ez  so  many  kittens.  Look  at  'em,  Shorty!" 
and  Si  pointed  with  a  proud  and  gratified  air  to 
where  the  six  "daisies"  were  standing,  three  on 
each  side  of  the  wagon-pole,  with  their  noses  in  the 
feod-box,  quietly  munching  their  matutinal  rations, 
and  whisking  their  paint-brush  tails  about  in  evident 
enjoyment. 

Indeed,  to  look  at  those  mules  one  who  was  ignor- 
ant of  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  the  species 
would  not  have  thought  that  beneath  those  meek 
exteriors  there  were  hearts  filled  with  the  raging 
fires  of  total  depravity.  Shorty  thought  how  it 
would  be,  but  he  didn't  say  anything.  He  was  sure 
that  Si  would  find  out  about  it  soon  enough. 

The  brigade  to  which  the  200th  Ind.  belonged  was 
to  march  in  the  rear  of  the  long  procession  that  day. 
This  was  lucky  for  Si,  as  it  gave  him  an  hour  or  two 
more  than  he  would  otherwise  have  had  to  get 
hitched  up.  But  all  the  same  he  thought  he  would 
begin  early,  so  as  to  be  on  hand  with  his  team  in 
good  time. 

"Want  any  help?"  asked  Shorty. 

"No,"  said  Si ;  "I  can  hitch  'em  up  slick's  a  whistle. 
I  can't  see  why  so  many  makes  sich  a  fuss  'bout 
handlin'  mules." 

Shorty  lighted  his  cob  pipe  and  sat  down  on  a 
stump  to  watch  Si.  "Kinder  think  there'll  be  a  cir- 
cus!" he  said  to  himself. 

Si  got  up  from  his  coffee  and  hardtack,  and  ad- 
dressed himself  to  the  business  of  the  hour.  It 
proved  to  be  just  as  much  as  he  could  attend  to. 
When  Si  poured  half  a  bushel  of  corn  into  the  feed- 


136  SI    KLEGG. 

box  it  was  all  very  nice,  and  the  animals  rubbed  their 
heads  against  him  to  give  expression  to  their  grate- 
ful emotions.  But  when  it  came  to  putting  on  the 
harness,  that  was  quite  a  different  thing.  The  mere 
touch  of  a  strap  was  enough  to  stimulate  into  baleful 
activity  all  the  evil  passions  of  mule-nature. 

"Now,  Pete  and  Jim  and  Susan,  we  must  git  ready 
to  pull  out!"  said  Si  to  his  charge,  in  a  familiar, 
soothing  tone,  preliminary  to  getting  down  to  busi- 
ness. It  was  his  evident  desire  to  maintain  the 
friendly  relations  that  he  thought  he  had  already 
established".  At  the  first  rattle  of  the  harness  Pete 
and  Susan  and  the  rest,  moved  by  a  common  im- 
pulse, laid  back  their  ears  and  began  to  bray,  their 
heels  at  the  same  time  showing  symptoms  of  im- 
patience. 

"Whoa,  there — whoa !"  exclaimed  Si,  in  a  concilia- 
tory way,  as  he  advanced  with  a  bridle  in  his  hand 
toward  one  of  the  big  wheelers,  whose  ears  were 
flapping  about  like  the  fans  of  a  windmill. 

Si  imprudently  crept  up  from  the  rear.  A  flank 
movement  would  have  been  better.  As  soon  as  he 
had  got  fairly  within  range  the  mule  winked 
viciously,  lowered  his  head,  and  let  fly  both  heels. 
Si  was  a  spry  boy,  and  a  quick  dodge  saved  him 
from  the  fate  of  his  predecessor.  One  of  the  heels 
whizzed  past  his  ear  with  the  speed  of  a  cannon 
ball,  caught  his  hat,  and  sent  it  spinning  through 
the  air. 

Shorty,  who  was  whittling  up  a  piece  of  Ken- 
tucky twist  to  recharge  his  pipe,  laughed  till  he  rolled 
off  the  stump  all  in  a  heap.  A  few  of  the  other  boys 
had  stayed  out  to  see  the  fun,  and  were  lounging 


SI   AND    THE    MULES. 


137 


around  the  outskirts  of  the  corral.     "Go  for  'em, 
Si!"  they  shouted. 

Si  was  plucky,  and  again  advanced  with  more 
caution.  This  time  he  was  successful,  after  a 
spirited  engagement,  in  getting  the  bridle  on.  He 


SI    WENT     SPRAWLING. 

thought  he  would  ride  him  down  to  the  creek  for 
water,  and  this  would  give  him  a  chance  to  get 
acquainted  with  him,  as  it  were.  He  patted  the 
animal's  neck,  called  him  pet  names,  and  gently 


138  SI    KLEGG. 

stroked  his  stubby  mane.  Alas,  Si  didn't  know  then 
what  an  utter  waste  of  material  it  was  to  give  taffy 
to  an  army  mule. 

With  a  quick  spring  Si  vaulted  upon  the  back  of 
the  mule.  He  started  off  in  good  shape,  waving  his 
hand  exultingly  to  the  boys  with  the  air  of  a  General 
who  has  just  won  a  great  battle. 

All  at  once  the  animal  stopped  as  suddenly  as  if  he 
had  run  against  a  stone  wall.  He  planted  his  fore 
feet,  throwing  his  ears  back  and  his  head  down. 
There  was  a  simultaneous  rear  elevation,  with  the 
heels  at  an  upward  angle  of  about  45  degrees.  Si 
went  sprawling  among  the  bushes.  This  perform- 
ance was  greeted  with  great  enthusiasm  by  the  fast- 
increasing  crowd  of  spectators. 

"I  oughter  have  told  you  that  saddle-mule's  the 
worst  bucker  in  the  Army  o'  the  Ohio,"  said  the 
Quartermaster-Sergeant,  who  was  among  the  on- 
lookers. "Why,  he'd  buck  off  the  stripe  that  runs 
down  his  back,  if  he  took  it  into  his  measly  head. 
He  bucked  off  a  chattel  mortgage,  and  that's  the  way 
he  come  into  the  army.  You  can't  ride  him  without 
using  one  of  Aunt  Jemima's  sticking  plasters." 

"Much  obliged  for  your  information.  But  I  will 
ride  him  all  the  same,"  said  Si,  whose  temper  had 
risen  to  the  exploding  point.  "I  kin  ride  him  if  he 
ties  himself  in  a  double  bow-knot." 

Si  was  too  much  of  a  farmer  boy  to  give  in  to 
anything  that  walked  on  four  legs. 

He  had  hung  en  to  the  bridle  rein,  and  after  ad- 
dressing a  few  impressive  words  to  the  obstreperous 
mule  he  again  leaped  upon  his  back.  The  mule  took 
a  docile  turn,  his  motive  having  apparently  been 


SI   AND   THE    MULES.  139 

merely  to  show  Si  what  he  could  do  when  he  took 
a  notion. 

The  space  at  command  will  not  permit  us  to  follow 
Si  through  all  the  details  of  "hitching  up"  that  team. 
He  did  finally  "git  thar,  Eli,"  after  much  strategic 
effort.  The  mules  brayed  and  kicked  a  good  deal, 
and  Si's  wrath  was  fully  aroused  before  he  got 
through.  He  became  convinced  that  soft  words  were 
of  no  account  in  such  a  contest,  and  he  enforced  dis- 
cipline by  the  judicious  use  of  a  big  club,  together 
with  such  appropriate  language  as  he  could  think  of. 
Si  hadn't  yet  learned  to  swear  with  that  wonderful 
and  appalling  proficiency  that  was  so  soon  acquired 
by  the  army  teamsters.  In  the  management  of  mules 
profanity  was  considered  an  invaluable  accessory 
in  times  of  great  emergency. 

At  last  Si  climbed  into  the  saddle,  as  proud  as  a 
King.  Seizing  the  long,  single  line  running  to  the 
"leaders" — by  which  contrivance  the  army  team  was 
always  guided — he  shouted  "Git  up,  thar,  Pete! 
G'lang  Susan!"  and  the  caravan  started.  But  the 
unregenerated  brutes  didn't  go  far.  Si  was  gaily 
cracking  his  whip,  trying  to  hit  a  big  blue-bottle  fly 
that  was  perched  on  the  ear  of  one  of  the  "swing" 
mules. 

As  if  by  a  preconcerted  plan,  the  establishment 
came  to  a  sudden  halt  and  the  mules  began  to  rear 
and  kick  and  plunge  around  in  utter  disregard  of 
consequences.  It  didn't  take  more  than  a  minute 
for  them  to  get  into  a  hopeless  tangle.  They  were 
in  all  conceivable  shapes — heads  and  tails  together, 
crosswise  and  "every  which  way,5  tied  up  with  the 
straps  of  the  harness.  The  air  in  all  directions  was 


140  SI    KLEGG. 

full  of  heels.  There  was  a  maddening  chorus  of  dis- 
cordant braying. 

In  the  course  of  the  scrimmage  Si  found  himself 
on  the  ground.  Gathering  himself  up,  he  gazed  in 
utter  amazement  at  the  twisted,  writhing  mass.  At 
this  moment  a  messenger  came  from  the  Captain  to 
"hurry  up  that  team,"  and  poor  Si  didn't  know  what 
to  do.  He  wished  he  could  only  swear  like  the  old 
mule  drivers.  He  thought  it  would  make  him  feel 
better.  There  was  no  one  to  help  him  out  of  his 
dilemma,  as  the  members  of  the  company  were  all 
getting  ready  for  the  march. 

A  veteran  teamster  happened  along  that  way,  and 
took  in  the  situation  at  a  glance.  He  saw  that  Si 
had  bit  off  more  than  he  could  chew,  and  volunteered 
his  assistance. 

"Here,  young  feller,"  said  he,  "lemme  show  ye 
how  to  take  the  stiffenin'  out  o'  them  ere  dod-gasted 
mules!" 

Seizing  the  whip  at  the  small  end  of  the  stock  he 
began  laying  on  right  and  left  with  the  butt,  taking 
care  to  keep  out  of  range  of  the  heels.  During  these 
persuasive  efforts  he  was  shouting  at  the  top  of  his 
voice  words  that  fairly  hissed  through  the  air.  Si 
thought  he  could  smell  the  brimstone  and  see  the 
smoke  issuing  from  the  old  teamster's  mouth  and 
nostrils.  This  is  a  section  of  what  that  experienced 
mule  driver  said,  as  nearly  as  we  can  express  it : 

" I  f !!!***???!!!! 

??? ???!!!!" 

Si  thanked  the  veteran  for  these  timely  sugges- 
tions in  the  way  of  language,  and  said  he  would 
remember  them.  He  had  no  doubt  they  would  help 
him  out  the  next  time. 


SI    AND    THE    MULES. 


141 


They  finally  got  the  team  untied,  and  Si  drove 
over  to  the  company  ground.  The  regiment  had 
been  gone  some  time,  a  detail  having  been  left  to  load 
the  wagon.  After  getting  out  upon  the  road  the 
mules  plodded  along  without  objection,  and  Si  got 
on  famously.  But  having  lost  his  place  in  the  col- 


STUCK     IN     THE     MUD. 

umn  in  consequence  of  the  delay,  he  was  obliged  to 
fall  in  rear  of  the  division  train,  and  it  was  noon 
before  he  got  well  started. 

Along  towards  evening  Si  struck  a  section  of  old 
corduroy  road  through  a  piece  of  swamp.  The  pas- 
sage of  the  artillery  and  wagons  had  left  the  road  in 
a  wretched  condition.  The  logs  were  lying  at  all 
points  of  the  compass,  or  drifting  vaguely  about  in 
the  mire,  while  here  and  there  were  seas  of  water 
and  pits  of  abysmal  depth. 


142  SI    KLEGG. 

To  make  the  story  short,  Si's  mules  stumbled  and 
floundered  and  kicked,  while  Si  laid  on  with  the 
whip  and  used  some  of  the  words  he  had  learned 
from  the  old  teamster  before  starting. 

At  length  the  wagon  became  hopelessly  stalled. 
The  wheels  sank  to  the  hubs,  and  Si  yelled  and 
cracked  his  whip  in  vain.  Perhaps  if  he  had  had 
the  old  teamster  there  to  swear  for  him  he  could 
have  pulled  through,  but  as  it  was  he  gave  it  up, 
dismounted,  hunted  a  dry  spot,  and  sat  down  to 
think  and  wait  for  something  to  turn  up. 

Just  before  dark  a  large  detail  from  Co.  Q,  which 
had  been  sent  back  on  an  exploring  expedition  for 
Si  and  his  team,  reached  the  spot.  After  hours  of 
prying  and  pushing  and  tugging  and  yelling  they  at 
length  got  the  wagon  over  the  slough,  reaching  camp 
about  midnight. 

"Orderly,"  said  Si,  "I  believe  I'd  like  to  resign 
my  place  as  mule-driver.  It's  a  nice,  soft  thing,  but 
I'd  jest  as  lief  let  s'mother  feller  have  it,  so  I'll  take 
my" gun  an'  go  to  hoofin'  it  agin!" 


CHAPTER    XV. 


UNDER  FIRE  —  SI  HAS  A  FIGHT,  CAPTURES  A  PRISONER, 
AND  GETS  PROMOTED. 


to  me  it's  'bout  time  ter  be  gittin'  into 
a  fite  !"  said  Si  Klegg  to  Shorty  one  night  as 
they  sat  around  the  fire  after  supper,  with 
their  shoes  and  stockings  off,  comparing  the  size  and 
number  of  their  respective  blisters.    Neither  of  them 
'had  much  of  the  skin  they  started  out  with  left  on 
their  feet.     "I  always  s'posed,"  he  continued,  "that 
bein'  a  sojer  meant  fitin'  somebody;  and  here  we 
are  roaming  over  the  country  like  a  lot  of  tramps.    I 
can't  see  no  good  in  it,  nohow." 

"Don't  be  in  a  hurry,  Si,",  replied  Shorty;  "I  reckon 
we'll  ketch  it  soon  'nuff.  From  what  I've  hearn  the 
old  soldiers  tell  a  battle  ain't  such  a  funny  thing 
as  a  feller  thinks  who  don't  know  anything  about  it, 
like  you'n  me.  The  boys  is  always  hungry  at  first 
for  shootin'  and  bein'  shot  at,  but  I've  an  idee  that  it 
sorter  takes  away  their  appetite  when  they  gits  one 
square  meal  of  it.  They  don't  hanker  after  it  no 
more.  It's  likely  we'll  git  filled  full  one  o'  these 
days.  I'm  willin*  to  wait  !" 

"Wall,;'  said  Si,  "I  sh'd  think  we  might  have  a 
little  skirmish,  anyway.  I'd  like  to  have  a  chance 
to  try  my  gun  and  to  hear  what  kind  of  a  noise  bul- 
lets make.  Of  course,  I'd  ruther  they'd  hit  some 


144  SI    KLEGG. 

other  feller  besides  me,  but  I'm  ready  to  take  the 
chances  on  that.     I  don't  b'lieve  I'd  be  afeard." 

Si  was  ambitious,  and  full  of  the  martial  ardor 
that  blazed  in  the  breast  of  every  young  volunteer. 
He  was  really  glad  when  the  Orderly  came  around 
presently  and  told  them  that  the  200th  Ind.  would 
have  the  advance  next  day,  and  Co.  Q  would  be  on 
the  skirmish-line.  He  told  the  boys  to  see  that  their 
cartridge-boxes  were  all  full  and  their  guns  in  good 
order,  as  they  would  be  very  like  to  run  foul  of  the 
rebels. 

This  was  just  before  the  battle  of  Perry ville.  The 
rebels  were  very  saucy,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  fair 
prospect  that  the  curiosity  of  the  members  of  the 
200th  Ind.  to  "see  the  elephant"  would  be  at  least 
measurably  gratified. 

Before  Si  went  to  bed  he  cleaned  up  his  gun  and 
made  sure  that  it  would  "go  off"  whenever  he  wanted 
it  to.  Then  he  and  Shorty  crawled  under  the 
blankets,  and  as  they  lay  "spoon  fashion,"  thinking 
about  what  might  happen  the  next  day,  Si  said  he 
hoped  they  would  both  have  "lots  of  sand." 

All  night  Si  dreamed  about  awful  scenes  of 
slaughter.  Before  morning  he  had  destroyed  a  large 
part  of  the  Confederate  army. 

It  was  yet  dark  when  the  reveille  sounded  through 
the  camp.  Si  and  Shorty  kicked  off  the  blankets  at 
first  blast  of  bugle,  and  were  promptly  in  their  places 
for  roll-call.  Then,  almost  in  a  moment,  a  hundred 
fires  were  gleaming,  and  the  soldiers  gathered  around 
them  to  prepare  their  hasty  breakfast. 

Before  the  sun  was  up  the  bugles  rang  out  again 
upon  the  morning  air.  In  quick  succession  came  the 


UNDER    FIRE. 


145 


"general,"  the  "assembly,"  and  "to  the  colors."  The 
200th  marched  out  upon  the  pike,  but  soon  filed  off 
into  a  cornfield  to  take  its  assigned  place  in  the  line, 
for  the  advance  division  was  to  move  in  order  of 
battle,  brigade  front,  that  day. 


IT  BURST  WITH  A  LOUD  "BANG." 

In  obedience  to  orders,  Co.  Q  moved  briskly  out 
and  deployed  as  skirmishers,  covering  the  regimental 
front.  As  the  line  advanced  through  field  and 
thicket  Si  Klegg's  heart  was  not  the  only  one  that 
thumped  against  the  blouse  that  covered  it. 

It  was  not  long  till  a  squad  of  cavalrymen  came 
galloping  back,  yelling  that  the  rebels  were  just 
ahead.  The  line  was  halted  for  a  few  minutes,  while 
the  Generals  swept  the  surrounding  country  with 
their  field  glasses  and  took  in  the  situation. 

The  skirmishers,  for  fear  of  accidents,  took  ad- 
vantage of  such  cover  as  they  could  find.  Si  and 


146  SI    KLEGG. 

Shorty  found  themselves  to  leeward  of  a  large  stump. 

"D'ye  reckon  a  bullet  'd  go  through  this  'ere 
stump?"  said  Si. 

Before  Shorty  could  answer  something  else  hap- 
pened that  absorbed  their  entire  attention.  For  the 
time  they  didn't  think  of  anything  else. 

Boom-m-m-m ! 

"Great  Scott!  d'ye  hear  that?"  said  Si  through 
his  chattering  teeth. 

"Yes,  and  there's  somethin'  comin'  over  this  way," 
replied  Shorty. 

A  shell  came  screaming  and  swishing  through  the 
air.  The  young  Hoosiers  curled  around  the  roots  of 
that  stump  and  flattened  themselves  out  like  a  pair 
of  griddle-cakes.  If  it  was  Si  that  the  rebel  gunners 
were  after,  they  timed  the  shell  to  a  second,  for  it 
burst  with  a  loud  bang  just  over  them.  The  frag- 
ments flew  all  around,  one  striking  the  stump  and 
others  tearing  up  the  dirt  on  every  side. 

To  say  that  for  the  moment  those  two  soldiers 
were  demoralized  would  be  drawing  it  very  mildly. 
They  showed  symptoms  of  a  panic.  It  seemed  as 
though  they  would  be  hopelessly  stampeded.  Their 
tongues  were  paralyzed,  and  they  could  only  look 
silently  into  each  other's  white  faces. 

Si  was  the  first  to  recover  himself,  although  it 
could  hardly  be  expected  that  he  could  get  over  his 
scare  all  at  once. 

"D-d-did  it  hit  ye,  Sh-Shorty  ?"  he  said. 

"N-no,  I  guess  not;  b-b-but  ain't  it  aw-awful,  Si? 
You  look  so  bad  I  th-thought  you  was  k-k-killed !" 

"Who's  afeard?"  said  Si.  "I  was  only  skeered 
of  you,  Shorty.  Brace  up,  now  same's  I  do !" 


UNDER    FIRE. 


147 


" Skirmishers  —  Forward!"  was  heard  along  the 
line.  "Come  on,  Shorty !"  said  Si,  and  they  plunged 
bravely  ahead. 

Emerging  suddenly  from  a  thick  wood,  they  came 
upon  the  rebel  skirmishers  in  full  view,  posted  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  field. 

Crack!    Crack!— Zip!  Zip! 


SI    TAKES    A    CRACK    AT    A    REB. 

"Guess  there's  a  bee-tree  somewhere  around  here, 
from  the  way  the  bees  are  buzzin',"  said  Si. 

"  'Taint  no  bees,"  replied  Shorty ;  "it's  a  mighty 
sight  worse'n  that.  Them's  bullets,  Si  Don't  ye  see 
the  durned  galoots  over  yonder  a-shootin'  at  us?" 


148  SI    KLEGG. 

Si  was  no  coward,  and  he  was  determined  to  show 
that  he  wasn't.  The  shell  a  little  while  before  had 
taken  the  starch  out  of  him  for  a  few  minutes,  but 
that  was  nothing  to  his  discredit.  Many  a  seasoned 
veteran  found  himself  exceedingly  limber  under  such 
circumstances. 

"Let's  give  the  rascals  a  dose,"  said  he;  "the  best 
we've  got  in  the  shop !" 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  Si  crept  up  to  a 
fence,  thrust  his  gun  between  the  rails,  took  good 
aim  and  fired. 

A  bullet  from  one  of  the  other  fellows  made  the 
splinters  fly  from  a  rail  a  foot  or  two  from  Si's 
head ;  but  he  was  getting  excited  now,  and  he  didn't 
mind  it  any  more  than  if  it  had  been  a  paper  wad 
from  a  pea-shooter. 

It  makes  a  great  difference  with  a  soldier  under 
fire  whether  he  can  take  a  hand  in  the  game  himself, 
or  whether  he  must  lie  idle  and  let  the  enemy  "play  it 
alone." 

"Did  ye  hear  him  squeal?"  said  Si,  as  he  dropped 
upon  the  ground  and  began  to  reload  with  all  his 
might.  "I  hit  that  son-of-a-gun,  sure.  Give  'em 
H— Hail  Columbia,  Shorty.  We'll  show  'em  that  the 
200th  Ind.  is  in  front  to-day !" 

"Forward,  men!"  shouted  the  officers.  "Go  right 
for 'em!" 

The  skirmishers  sprang  over  the  fence  and  swept 
across  the  field  at  a  "double-quick"  in  the  face  of  a 
sputtering  fire  that  did  little  damage.  None  of  them 
reached  the  other  side  any  sooner  than  Si  did.  The 
rebels  seemed  to  have  found  out  thai  the  200th  boys 
were  coming,  for  they  were  already  on  the  run,  and 


UNDER    FIRE. 


149 


some  of  them  had  started  early.     Pell-mell  through 

the  brush  they  went,  and  the  blue-blouses  after  them. 

"Halt,  there,  or  I'll  blow  ye  into  the  middle  o'  next 

weekf  yelled  Si,  as  he  closed  up  on  a  ragged  speci- 


SI    CAPTURES    A    JOHNNY. 

men  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  whose  wind  had 
given  out.  Si  thought  it  would  be  a  tall  feather  in 
his  hat  if  he  could  take  a  prisoner  and  march  him 
back. 

The  "Johnny"  gave  one  glance  at  his  pursuer,  hes- 


150  SI    KLEGG. 

itated,  and  was  lost.  He  saw  that  Si  meant  business, 
and  surrendered  at  discretion. 

"Come  'long  with  me!"  said  Si,  his  eyes  glistening 
with  pleasure  and  pride.  Si  marched  him  back  and 
delivered  him  to  the  Colonel. 

"Well  done,  my  brave  fellow!"  said  the  Colonel. 
"This  is  a  glorious  day  for  the  200th  Ind.,  and  you've 
taken  its  first  prisoner.  What's  your  name  my  boy  ?" 

"Josiah  Klegg,  sir!"  said  Si,  blushing  to  the  very 
roots  of  his  hair. 

"What  company  do  you  belong  to?" 

"Company  Q,  sir!"  and  Si  saluted  the  officer  as 
nicely  as  he  knew  how. 

"I'll  see  your  Captain  to-night,  Mr.  Klegg,  and  you 
shall  be  rewarded  for  your  good  conduct.  You  may 
now  return  to  your  company." 

It  was  the  proudest  moment  of  Si's  life  up  to  date. 
He  stammered  out  his  thanks  to  the  Colonel,  and 
then,  throwing  his  gun  up  to  a  right  shoulder-shift, 
he  started  off  on  a  canter  to  rejoin  the  skirmishers. 

That  night  Si  Klegg  was  the  subject  of  a  short  con- 
versation between  his  Captain  and  the  Colonel.  They 
agreed  that  Si  had  behaved  very  handsomely,  and 
deserved  to  be  promoted.. 

"Are  there  any  vacancies  in  your  non-commis- 
sioned officers  ?"  asked  the  Colonel. 

"No,"  was  the  reply,  "but  there  ought  to  be.  One 
of  my  Corporals  skulked  back  to  the  rear  this  morn- 
ing and  crawled  into  a  wagon.  I  think  we  had  better 
reduce  him  to  the  ranks  and  appoint  Mr.  Klegg." 

"Do  so  at  once,"  said  the  Colonel. 

Next  morning  when  the  200th  was  drawn  up  in 
line  an  order  was  read  by  the  Adjutant  reducing  the 


UNDER    FIRE. 


151 


r.kulker  and  promoting  Si  to  the  full  rank  of  Cor- 
poral, with  a  few  words  commending  the  gallantry 

of  the  latter.  These  orders 
announcing  rewards  and 
punishments  were  suppos- 
ed to  have  a  salutary  effect 
in  stimulating  the  men  to 
deeds  of  glory,  and  as  a 
warning  to  those  who  were 
a  little  short  of  "sand." 

The  boys  of  Co.  Q  show- 
ered their  congratulations 
upon  Si  in  the  usual  way. 
They  made  it  very  lively  for 
him  that  day.  In  the  even- 
ing Si  hunted  up  some  white 
cloth,  borrowed  a  needle 
and  thread,  went  off  back 
of  tha  tent,  rammed  his  bay- 
onet into  the  ground,  stuck 
a  candle  in  the  socket,  and 
sewed  chevrons  on  the 
sleeves  of  his  blouse.  Then 
he  wrote  a  short  letter: 
"Deer  Annie:  I  once  more  take  my  pen  in  hand 
to  tell  you  there's  grate  news.  I'm  an  ossifer.  We 
had  an  awful  fite  yisterdy. "  I  don't  know  how 
menny  rebbles  I  kild,  but  I  guess  thare  was  enuff 
to  start  a  good  sized  graveyard.  I  tuk  a  prizner, 
too,  and  the  Kurnal  says  to  me  bully  fer  you,  Mister 
Klegg,  or  sumthin  to  that  effeck.  This  mornin  they 
made  me  a  Corporil,  and  red  it  out  before  the  hull 
rijiment.  I  guess  youd  been  prowd  If  you  could  have 


CORPORAL  SI  KLEGG. 


152  SI    KLEGG. 

seen  me.  To-night  the  boys  is  hollerin  hurraw  fer 
Corporal  Klegg  all  over  camp.  I  ain't  as  big  is  the 
Ginrals  and  sum  of  the  other  ossifers,  but  thars  no 
tellin  how  hi  I'll  get  in  three  years. 

Rownd  is  the  ring  that  haint  no  end, 
So  is  my  luv  to  you  my  friend. 
"Yours,  same  as  before, 

"Corporal  Si  Klegg." 


CHAPTER  XVL 


ONE  OF  THE  "NON-COMMISH"  —  A  NIGHT'S  ADVEN- 
TURES AS  "CORPORAL  OF  THE  GUARD." 

ORPORAL  Klegg,  you  will  go  on  duty  to- 
night with  the  camp  guard !"  said  the  Or- 
derly of  Co.  Q  one  evening,  as  the  200th 
Ind.  filed  off  into  a  piece  of  woods  to  bivouac  for  the 
night,  two  or  three  days  after  Si  had  been  promoted. 

The  chevrons  on  his  arms  had  raised  Si  several 
degrees  in  the  estimation  not  only  of  himself,  but 
of  the  other  members  of  the  company.  His  conduct 
in  the  skirmish  had  shown  that  he  had  in  him  the 
material  for  a  good  soldier,  and  even  the  Orderly 
began  to  treat  him  with  that  respect  due  to  his  new 
rank  as  one  of  the  "non-commish." 

Like  every  other  man  who  put  on  the  army  blue 
and  marched  away  so  bold,  "with  gay  and  gallant 
tread,"  Si  could  not  tell  whether  he  was  going  to 
amount  to  anything  as  a  soldier  until  he  had  gone 
through  the  test  of  being  under  fire.  There  were 
many  men  who  walked  very  erect,  talked  bravely, 
drilled  well,  and  made  a  fine  appearance  on  dress 
parade,  before  they  reached  "the  front,"  but  who 
wilted  at  the  "zip"  of  bullets  like  tender  corn  blades 
nipped  by  untimely  frost.  And  a  good  many  of  them 
continued  in  that  wilted  condition.  Perhaps  they 
really  couldn't  help  it.  An  inscrutable  Providence 
had  seen  fit  to  omit  putting  any  "sand  in  their  giz- 
zards," as  the  boys  expressed  it. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  Si  was  somewhat  unduly 


154  SI    KLEGG. 

elated  and  puffed  up  over  his  own  achievements  as 
a  skirmisher  and  his  success  in  climbing  the  ladder 
of  military  rank  and  fame.  It  is  true,  it  wasn't  much 
of  a  fight  they  had  that  day,  but  Si  thought  it  was 
pretty  fair  for  a  starter,  and  enough  to  prove  to 
both  himself  and  his  comrades  that  he  wouldn't  be 
one  of  the  "coffee  coolers"  when  there  was  business 
on  hand. 

Si  was  sorry  that  his  regiment  did  not  get  into  the 
fight  at  Perryville.  The  200th  Ind.  belonged  to  /me 
of  the  two  corps  of  Buell's  army  that  lay  under  the 
trees  two  or  three  miles  away  all  through  that  Octo- 
ber afternoon,  while  McCook's  gallant  men  were  in 
a  life-and-death  struggle  against  overwhelming  odds. 
It  bothered  Si  as  much  to  understand  it  all  as  it  did 
30,000  other  soldiers  that  day. 

Si  responded  with  alacrity  when  he  was  detaJed 
for  guard  duty.  He  had  walked  a  beat  once  or  twice 
as  a  common  tramp,  and  had  not  found  it  partic- 
ularly pleasant,  especially  in  stormy  weather;  but 
now  he  was  a  peg  higher,  and  he  thought  as  Cor- 
poral he  would  have  a  better  time.  He  had  already 
observed  that  the  rude  winds  of  army  life  were  tem- 
pered, if  not  to  the  shorn  lambs,  at  least  to  the  offi- 
cers, in  a  degree  proportionate  to  their  rank.  The 
latter  had  the  first  pick  of  everything,  and  the  men 
took  what  was  left.  The  officers  always  got  the 
softest  rails  to  sleep  on,  the  hardtack  that  was  least 
tunneled  through  by  the  worms,  the  bacon  that  had 
the  fewest  maggots,  and  the  biggest  trees  in  a  fight. 

"Forward — March!"  shouted  the  officer  in  com- 
mand, when  the  detachment  was  ready.  Si  stepped 
off  very  proudly,  thinking  how  glad  his  good  old 


ONE    OF    THE    "NON-COM  MISH/1 


155 


mother  and  sister  Marier  and  pretty  Annabel  would 
be  if  they  could  see  him  at  that  moment.  He 
was  determined  to  discharge  his  official  duties  "right 
up  to  the  handle,"  and  make  the  boys  stand  around 
in  lively  style. 


"NOT  'LESS  YE  SAY  'BUNKER  HILL/  ' 

When  the  guard  reached  the  place  selected  for 
headquarters  the  officer  briefly  lectured  them  in  re- 
gard to  their  duties,  impressing  upon  them  the  neces- 
sity of  being  alert  and  vigilant.  There  was  only  a 


156  SI    KLEGG. 

thin  picket-line  between  them  and  the  enemy.  The 
safety  of  the  army  depended  upon  the  faithfulness 
of  those  appointed  to  watch  while  others  slept.  He 
gave  them  the  countersign,  ' 'Bunker  Hill,"  and  or- 
dered them  under  no  circumstances  to  allow  any 
person  to  pass  without  giving  it,  not  even  the  Com- 
manding General  himself. 

Then  the  guards  were  posted,  the  "beats"  laid  off 
and  numbered,  and  as  the  fast-gathering  shadows 
deepened  among  the  trees  the  sentinels  paced  to  and 
fro  around  the  tired  army. 

For  an  hour  or  two  after  the  guards  were  stationed 
all  was  quiet  along  the  line.  The  noise  of  the  great 
camp  was  hushed  for  the  night,  and  no  sound  broke 
the  stillness  of  the  gloomy  forest.  The  moon  rose 
and  peeped  timidly  through  the  branches. 

"Corporal  of  the  Guard;  Post  No.  6." 

Si's  quick  ear,  as  he  lay  curled  up  at  the  foot  of  a 
tree,  caught  these  words,  rapidly  repeated  by  one 
sentinel  after  another.  It  was  his  first  summons.  He 
sprang  to  his  feet,  gun  in  hand,  his  heart  beating  at 
the  thought  of  adventure,  and  started  on  the  run  for 
"Post  No.  6." 

"What's  up?"  he  said  to  the  guard,  with  a  per- 
ceptible tremor  in  his  voice. 

"There's  one  o'  the  boys  tryin'  to  run  the  guards !" 
was  the  answer.  "He's  been  out  foragin',  I  reckon. 
He's  got  a  lot  o'  plunder  he  wants  to  git  into  camp 
with.  See  him,  out  there  in  the  bush?" 

The  forager,  for  such  he  proved  to  be,  was  nimbly 
dodging  from  tree  to  tree,  watching  for  a  chance  to 
cross  the  line,  but  the  alertness  of  tha  guards  had 
thus  far  kept  him  outside.  He  had  tried  to  bribe  one 


ONE    OF    THE    "NON-COMMISH."  157 

or  two  of  the  boys  by  offering  to  "whack  up"  if  they 
would  let  him  pass  or  give  him  the  countersign,  so 
that  he  could  get  in  at  some  other  point  in  the  cor- 
don. But  the  guards  were  incorruptible.  They  were 
"fresh"  yet,  and  had  not  caught  on  to  the  plan  of 
accepting  an  offered  chicken,  a  section  of  succulent 
pig,  or  a  few  sweet  potatoes,  and  then  walking  off  to 
the  remote  limit  of  the  beat,  with  eyes  to  the  front, 
while  the  forager  shot  across  the  line  in  safety.  They 
learned  all  about  this  after  a  while. 

The  raider  tried  to  parley  with  Si,  but  Si  wouldn't 
have  it.  Kaising  his  gun  to  a  "ready"  he  ordered 
the  man  to  come  in  or  he  would  put  a  hole  through 
him. 

The  best  thing  to  do  under  the  circumstances  was 
to  obey.  The  forager,  who  belonged  to  Si's  company, 
crept  up  to  Corporal  Klegg  and  in  a  conciliatory 
tone  opened  negotiations. 

"You  jest  let  me  pass,  and  you  may  have  your 
pick  of  this  stuff,"  said  he,  holding  up  a  fowl  in  one 
hand  and  a  ham  in  the  other.  "It'll  be  all  right,  and 
nobody  '11  ever  know  nothin'  'bout  it !" 

Si  hesitated ;  it  was  human  nature.  The  offer  was 
a  tempting  one,  but  he  remembered  his  responsibility 
to  his  country,  and  his  stomach  appealed  in  vain. 
Duty  came  before  stewed  chicken  or  roasted  spare- 
rib. 

"Can't  do  it!"  said  Si.  "You've  got  hold  of  the 
wrong  man  this  time.  I  ain't  goin'  to  have  nobody 
monkeyin'  'round  while  I'm  Corporal  of  this  'ere 
guard.  Come  along  with  me,  and  step  out  lively, 
too!" 

Si  marched  the  culprit  back  to  headquarters  and 


158  SI    KLEGG. 

delivered  him  up  to  the  officer,  who  commended  Si  for 
his  fidelity. 

Next  day  the  ground  back  of  the  Colonel's  tent 
was  strewn  with  feathers,  chicken  bones,  ham  rinds, 
and  potato  skins,  while  the  unlucky  forager  who  had 
provided  the  field  officers'  mess  with  such  a  royal 
meal  was  humped  around  for  tv/o  hours  on  ' 'knap- 
sack drill,"  and  condemned  to  spend  24  hours  in  the 
guard-house. 

An  hour  later  Si  had  another  experience.  The 
Captain  of  Co.  Q  felt  a  kindly  interest,  and  not  a 
little  pride  in  him,  since  the  skirmish,  and  he  thought 
he  would  take  a  turn  that  night  and  see  whether  his 
newly-made  Corporal  was  "up  to  snuff." 

'Tost  No.  3,"  was  Si's  second  call.  He  responded 
promptly,  and  as  he  approached  the  jruard  the  latter 
said: 

"Corporal,  here's  the  Cap'n,  and  he  wants  to  get 
in !  He  hain't  got  the  countersign ;  shall  I  pass  him  ?" 

"Good  evening,  Corporal !"  said  the  Captain,  as  Si 
came  up,  at  the  same  time  extending  his  hand. 

Si  was  thrown  completely  off  his  guard.  Dropping 
the  butt  of  his  gun  carelessly  to  the  ground  he  replied 
cheerily,  "Good  evening,  Cap'n,"  touching  his  hat  by 
way  of  salute.  Then  he  took  the  proffered  hand, 
pleased  at  the  Captain's  mark  of  kindly  recognition. 
He  didn't  understand  the  scheme  then. 

"How  are  you  getting  on,  Mr.  Klegg?" 

"First  rate!"  said  Si,  with  the  air  of  one  con- 
scious that  he  had  done  his  duty  well.  "I  capchered 
a  forager  a  little  bit  ago  and  took  him  to  head- 
quarters !" 

"Well  done,  Corporal.     I  have  no  doubt  you  will 


ONE    OF    THE    "NON-COMMISH.' 


159 


honor  the  good  name  of  the  200th  Ind.  in  general  and 
Company  Q  in  particular.     I  got  caught  outside  to- 


si  DIDN'T  TAKE  ANY  CHANCES. 

night,  and  I  want  to  get  back  into  camp.    Of  course, 
you  know  me  and  it's  all  right !" 


160  SI    KLEGG. 

"Certainly,  sir!"  said  Si,  as  he  stood  leaning  on 
his  gun  and  allowed  the  officer  to  pass  the  magic  line. 
"Good  night,  Cap'n !" 

"Good  night,  Corporal!  By  the  way,"  said  the 
Captain,  retracing  his  steps,  "I  notice  that  you  do  not 
carry  your  gun  just  right.  Let  me  show  you  how  to 
handle  it!" 

Si  didn't  know  what  a  flagrant  offense  it  was  for 
a  soldier  on  guard  to  let  his  gun  go  out  of  his  hands ; 
nor  had  he  the  faintest  suspicion  that  the  Captain 
was  playing  it  on  him.  So  he  promptly  handed  his 
pieee  to  the  Captain,  who  immediately  brought  it 
down  to  a  "charge,"  with  the  bayonet  at  Si's  breast. 

"Suppose,  now,  I  was  a  rebel  in  disguise,"  said  the 
Captain,  "what  kind  of  a  fix  would  you  be  in?" 

Light  began  to  dawn  upon  Si,  and  he  started  back 
in  terror  at  the  thought  of  the  mistake  he  had  made. 

"Of  course,  I  wouldn't  let  anybody  else  have  it,"  he 
stammered;  "but  I  knew  you,  Cap'n !" 

"That  makes  no  difference  to  a  man  on  duty,  Cor- 
poral. You  hang  on  to  your  gun  the  rest  of  the 
night,  and  if  anybody — I  don't  care  if  it's  Gen.  Buell 
himself — insists  on  your  giving  it  to  him,  let  him 
have  two  or  three  inches  of  the  point  of  your  bayonet. 
Don't  let  anybody  pass  without  the  countersign, 
either !  Come  to  my  quarters  when  you  are  relieved 
tomorrow." 

All  this  illustrates  the  way  the  officers  had  of 
testing  new  soldiers  and  teaching  them  a  thing  or 
two,  when,  as  was  frequently  the  case,  they  were  not 
yet  up  to  the  mark.  A  trick  of  extra  duty  for  the 
hapless  novitiate  was  generally  the  penance  for  his 
simplicity. 


ONE    OF    THE    "NON-COMMISH."  161 

The  cold  chills  ran  up  and  down  Si's  back  as  he 
took  his  gun  and  slowly  returned  to  the  guard  fire. 
He  felt  that  he  had  utterly  spoiled  his  good  record. 

"Lieutenant,"  he  said  to  the  officer,  "I  wish  you'd 
please  detail  a  man  to  kick  me  for  about  an  hour." 

The  Lieutenant  wanted  to  know  what  the  matter 
was,  and  Si  told  him  all  about  it,  ending  with : 

"So  now  I  s'pose  the  Cap'n  '11  yank  the  stripes  off'n 
my  blouse !" 

The  officer  quieted  his  fears  by  assuring  him  that 
there  was  no  cause  for  alarm.  The  Captain  knew 
that  he  was  trying  to  do  his  duty,  and  what  he  had 
done  was  for  Si's  own  good. 

Si  sat  down  by  the  fire  and  was  thinking  it  over 
when  there  was  another  call,  "Corporal  of  the 
guard!"  He  was  soon  at  the  point  indicated  and 
found  two  officers  on  horseback,  whom  he  recognized 
as  the  Colonel  and  Adjutant  of  the  200th  Ind.  Si's 
friend  Shorty  was  the  guard  who  had  halted  them. 

"Now,  Corporal  Klegg,"  said  Si  to  himself,  laying 
his  finger  alongside  his  nose,  "you  jist  watch  out  this 
time.  Here's  big  game!  Shouldn't  wonder  if  them 
ossifers  had  bin  out  skylarkin',  and  they're  tryin'  to 
git  in.  Don't  ye  let  'em  fool  ye  as  the  Cap'n  did !" 

Si  was  right  in  his  surmise.  The  Colonel  and  Ad- 
jutant had  been  enjoying  a  good  supper  at  a  house 
half  a  mile  away,  and  had  not  the  slightest  idea  what 
the  countersign  was. 

Si  was  determined  not  to  "get  left"  this  time.  As 
he  approached,  the  Colonel  saw  that  it  was  the  sol- 
dier he  had  commended  for  his  gallantry  at  the  time 
of  the  skirmish. 

"Ah,  Corporal    Klegg,  I'm    glad    to    see    you    so 


162  SI    KLEGG. 

prompt  in  your  duty.  I  was  sure  we  had  made  no 
mistake  when  we  promoted  you.  Of  course,  you  can 
see  who  I  am.  I'm  your  Colonel,  and  this  is  the 
Adjutant.  We  are,  unfortunately,  outside  without 
the  countersign;  but  you  can  just  let  us  through." 

The  Colonel's  taffy  had  no  effect  on  Si.  He  just 
brought  himself  into  a  hostile  attitude,  with  his 
bayonet  in  fair  range  of  the  Colonel,  as  he  replied: 

"Colonel,  my  orders  is  to  pass  no  livin'  man  unless 
he  says  'Bunker  Hill.'  I'd  be  glad  to  do  ye  a  good 
turn,  but  there's  no  use  talkin'.  I'm  goin'  to  obey 
orders,  and  ye  can't  pass  here." 

The  Colonel  chuckled  softly  as  he  dismounted  and 
came  up  to  Si. 

"It's  all  right,"  he  said,  "of  course  I  know  what 
the  countersign  is.  I  was  only  trying  you." 

"Hold  on  there,"  said  Si,  "don't  come  too  close. 
If  you've  got  the  countersign,  advance  and  give  it. 
If  ye  ain't  got  it,  I'll  jest  call  the  Officer  of  the 
Guard!" 

Leaning  over  the  point  of  Si's  bayonet  the  Colonel 
gently  whispered  "Bunker  Hill" 

"Correct!"  said  Si,  and  bringing  his  gun  to  a 
"shoulder"  he  respectfully  saluted  the  Colonel.  The 
latter  started  to  remount,  but  turned  back  as  he 
said: 

"Just  let  me  show  you  how  to  hold  your  gun. 
You  don't"— 

"Not  if  the  court  knows  herself,"  said  Si,  again 
menacing  the  Colonel  with  his  bayonet.  That's  bin 
played  on  me  once  to-night,  and  if  anybody  does  it 
again  my  name  ain't  Si  Klegg!" 

"That's  right,  Corporal,"  said  the  Colonel  as  he 


ONE    OF    THE    "NON-COMMISH."  163 

sprang  into  the  saddle;  "but  don't  tell  anybody  what 
the  countersign  is  again!    Good  night!" 


THEY  HAD  SHOT  A  MULE. 

"Good  night,  Colonel,"  said  Si,  touching  his  hat. 
As  the  officers  rode  away  Si  began  to  think  he  had 


164  SI    KLEGG. 

put  his  foot  in  it  again.  He  was  confirmed  in  this 
opinion  by  seeing  Shorty  sit  down  on  a  log  in  a  par- 
oxysm of  laughter. 

"You  give  yerself  away  bad  that  time!"  said 
Shorty,  as  soon  as  he  could  speak.  "What  did  ye 
tell  him  the  countersign  for?" 

"Whew-w-w-w !"  observed  Si,  with  a  prolonged 
whistle.  "Shorty,"  said  he,  "I  wish  you'd  take  a 
club  and  see  if  you  can't  pound  a  little  sense  into  me ; 
I  don't  believe  I've  got  any!"  Without  another 
word  he  shouldered  his  gun  and  returned  to  the 
guard  headquarters.  "Now  I'm  a  goner,  sure!"  he 
said  to  himself. 

On  his  way  he  found  a  guard  sitting  by  a  tree, 
sound  asleep.  Carefully  taking  away  his  gun  Si 
awoke  him,  and  frightened  him  half  to  death  by 
telling  him  that  he  would  report  him  and  he  would 
be  shot  for  sleeping  on  post.  Si  finally  said  he 
wouldn't  tell  on  him  this  time,  but  he  must  never  do 
so  again,  or  he  would  be  a  dead  man. 

"Corporal  of  the  guard!"  was  heard  again,  some- 
time after  midnight.  "If  they  try  any  more  measly 
tricks  on  me  to-night  somebody  '11  git  hurt !"  thought 
Si  as  he  walked  briskly  along  the  line  in  response  to 
the  call. 

This  time  it  was  a  "contraband" — an  old  negro, 
who  stood  shivering  with  terror  as  the  guard  held 
him  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Recalling  the  un- 
lucky adventures  of  the  night,  Si  imagined  that  it 
was  one  of  the  officers,  who  had  blackened  himself 
like  a  minstrel,  and  had  come  there  purposely  to 
"catch  him." 

"Ye  can't  get  through  unless  ye've  got  the  counter- 


ONE    OF    THE    "NON-COMMISH."  165 

sign,"  said  he,  decisively;  "and  I  shan't  give  it  to 
ye,  nuther!  And  ye  needn't  try  to  show  me  how  to 
hold  my  gun !  I  can  handle  it  well  enough  to  shoot 
and  punch  the  bayonet!" 

"Don't  know  what  dat  all  means,  boss,"  said  the 
frightened  negro;  "but  fer  de  good  Lawd's  sake 
don't  shove  dat  t'ing  frew  me.  I've  only  bin  ober 
to  de  nex'  place  to  a  'possum  roast  and  I'se  jist  gwine 
home.  I  didn't  know  dese  yer  ge-yards  was  heah !" 

Si  didn't  propose  to  take  any  chances,  and  so  he 
marched  the  old  contraband  back  and  delivered  him 
to  the  officer,  who  kept  him  till  morning  and  then 
suffered  him  to  go  on  his  way. 

Once  more  that  night  Si  was  called  out,  in  addi- 
tion to  his  tramps  with  the  "reliefs"  and  the  "grand 
rounds."  It  was,  perhaps,  an  hour  before  daylight, 
and  Shorty  was  the  guard  who  called  him.  He  told 
Si  there  was  something  walking  around  in  the  woods, 
and  he  believed  it  was  a  rebel  trying  to  creep  up  on 
them.  He  had  challenged  two  or  three  times,  but 
got  no  answer.  The  moon  had  gone  down,  and  in 
the  dark  woods  objects  at  any  distance  could  not  be 
distinguished. 

"There,  d'ye  hear  that?"  said  Shorty,  as  there 
came  a  sound  of  crackling  sticks  and  rustling  leaves. 

"Halt !"  exclaimed  Si.    "Who  comes  there?" 

There  was  no  response,  and  Si  challenged  again 
with  like  result. 

"Shorty,"  said  Si,  "let's  fire  both  together,"  and 
crack  went  their  muskets. 

For  a  moment  there  was  a  great  floundering,  and 
then  all  was  still.  As  soon  as  it  was  light,  and 
Shorty  was  relieved,  he  and  Si  went  out  to  see  the 


166  SI    KLEGG. 

result  of  their  fire.  To  their  astonishment  they 
found  the  prowler  cold  and  stiff  in  death — they  had 
shot  a  big  gray  mule. 

On  the  whole,  it  was  a  busy  and  interesting  night 
for  Si.  He  did  not  lose  his  chevrons  on  account  of  his 
mistakes.  But  he  learned  something,  and  the  lesson 
was  impressed  upon  his  mind  by  a  few  kindly  words 
of  caution  and  advice  from  the  Captain  of  Co.  Q. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

FORAGING   ON   THE   WAY  —  SI    HAS    SOME   VARIED   EX- 
PERIENCES WITH  SOUTHERN  PRODUCTS. 

THE  long  chase  after  Bragg  from  Louisville  to 
the  mountains  of  southeastern  Kentucky  was 
rough  on  the  new  troops.  It  weeded  them 
out  very  fast,  and  in  every  town  through  which 
Buell's  army  passed  the  buildings  were  turned  into 
hospitals  and  filled,  with  sick  and  crippled  soldiers, 
who  had  found  out  early  that  they  were  not  phys- 
ically able  to  endure  the  hardships  of  an  active  cam- 
paign. At  the  end  of  two  or  three  weeks  some  of 
the  new  regiments  were  as  much  reduced  in  numbers 
as  most  of  those  that  went  out  in  '61  were  during 
their  first  six  months. 

The  200th  Ind.  jogged  along  bravely,  but  its  ranks 
had  suffered  the  common  shrinkage.  Not  less  than 
400  of  its  men  had  fallen  by  the  wayside,  and  were 
taking  quinine  and  blue-mass  and  rubbing  arnica  on 
their  legs  all  along  the  tortuous  route. 

Corporal  Si  Klegg  and  his  friend  Shorty  proved 
to  be  "stayers."  Full  of  life  and  ambition,  they  were 
always  prompt  for  duty  and  ready  for  a  fight  or  a 
frolic.  No  one  was  more  quick  than  Si  to  offer  a 
suffering  comrade  the  last  drop  of  fresh  water  in  his 
canteen  or  give  him  a  lift  by  carrying  his  gun  a 
piece. 

One  day  the  regiment  started  out  for  an  easy, 
comfortable  day's  march.  The  coast  was  clear  of 
rebels,  and  there  being  no  excuse  for  crowding  on 


168  SI   KLEGO. 

the  steam,  the  boys  were  allowed  to  take  their  own 
gait,  while  the  horses  of  the  officers  and  cavalry  had 
a  chance  to  recover  their  wind. 

It  was  a  warm  day  late  in  October.  The  nights 
at  this  time  were  keen  and  frosty,  but  the  sun  at 
mid-day  still  showed  much  of  his  Summer  vigor. 
Perspiration  flowed  freely  down  the  faces  of  those 
wandering  Hoosiers — faces  that  were  fast  assuming 
the  color  of  half-tanned  leather  under  the  influence 
of  sunshine  and  storm. 

Once  an  hour  there  was  the  customary  halt,  when 
the  boys  would  stretch  their  legs  by  the  roadside, 
hitching  their  knapsacks  up  under  their  heads.  When 
the  allotted  time  had  expired  the  bugler  blew  'Tall 
in,"  the  notes  of  which  during  the  next  two  years  be- 
came so  familiar  to  the  ears  of  the  200th.  Later  in 
'64,  the  Indiana  boys  mingled  their  voices  with  the 
rest  of  Sherman's  hundred  thousand  veterans  as 
they  sang: 

"I  know  you  are  tired,  but  still  you  must  go 
Down  to  Atlanta  to  see  the  big  show." 

The  soldiers  were  in  good  spirits.  As  they 
marched  they  fired  jests  at  one  another,  and  laugh- 
ter rippled  along  the  line. 

The  only  thing  that  troubled  them  was  the  emac- 
iated condition  of  their  haversacks,  with  a  corres- 
ponding state  of  affairs  in  their  several  stomachs. 
The  Commissary  Department  was  thoroughly  de- 
moralized. The  supply  train  had  failed  to  connect, 
and  rations  were  almost  exhausted.  There  was  no 
prospect  that  the  aching  void  would  be  filled,  at  least, 


FORAGING  ON  THE  WAY. 


169 


in  the  regular  way,  until  they  reached  a  certain  place, 
which  would  not  be  until  the  following  day. 

Strict  orders  against  foraging  were  issued  almost 
daily  under  the  Buell  dispensation.  These  were 
often  read  impressively  to  the  new  troops,  who,  in 
their  simplicity,  "took  it  all  in"  as  military  gospel. 


THE    200TH     IND.     WAS     NOT    WITHOUT    TALENT    IN 
FORAGING. 

The  effect  was  somewhat  depressing  upon  the  ardor 
with  which  otherwise  they  would  have  pursued  the 
panting  pig  and  the  fluttering  fowl,  and  reveled  in 
the  orchards  and  potato-fields.  A  few  irrepressible 
fellows  managed  tc  get  a  choice  meal  now  and  then 
—just  enough  to  show  that  the  200th  Ind.  was  not 
without  latent  talent  in  this  direction,  which  only 


170  SI    KLEGG. 

needed  a  little  encouragement  to  become  fruitful  of 
results. 

But  these  orders  against  foraging  didn't  hold  the 
soldiers  of  the  crop  of  1861.  It  was  like  trying  to 
carry  water  in  a  sieve.  When  rations  were  short, 
or  if  they  wanted  to  vary  the  rather  monotonous  bill 
of  fare,  they  always  found  a  way  to  make  up  any  ex- 
isting deficiency. 

On  the  day  in  question  a  few  hints  were  thrown 
out  which  resulted  in  a  tacit  understanding  that,  in 
view  of  the  actual  need  of  the  soldiers,  if  they  got  a 
good  chance  to  pick  up  something  the  eyes  of  the 
officers  would  be  closed.  In  fact,  the  officers  were  as 
hungry  as  the  men,  and  hoped  to  come  in  for  a 
"divide." 

Soon  after  starting  in  the  morning  a  persimmon 
tree,  well  laden  with  fruit,  was  seen  in  a  field  not 
far  from  the  road.  About  fifty  men  started  for  it 
on  a  run,  and  in  five  minutes  it  was  as  bare  as  the 
barren  fig  tree. 

The  persimmon  has  some  very  marked  peculiari- 
ties. It  is  a  toothsome  fruit  when  well  ripened  by 
frost,  but  if  eaten  before  it  has  reached  the  point 
of  full  maturity,  the  effect  upon  one's  interior  is 
unique  and  startling.  The  pungent  juices  take  hold 
of  the  mouth  and  pucker  it  up  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  make  even  speech  for  a  time  impossible.  The 
tongue  seems  as  if  it  were  tied  in  a  knot.  If  the 
juice  be  swallowed,  similar  results  follow  all  along 
its  course.  But  the  novice  does  not  often  get  far 
enough  for  that. 

The  boys  soon  found  that  the  'simmons,  although 
they  looked  very  tempting,  were  too  green  to  be 


FORAGING  ON  THE  WAY. 


171 


SI   BEAT   A   RETREAT. 

eaten  with  any  degree  of  enjoyment.    So  they  filled 
their  pockets  with  them  to  pucker  up  the  regiment. 


172  SI    KLEGG. 

Shorty  had  joined  in  the  scramble,  telling  Si  he 
would  bring  him  a  good  supply. 

"Ain't  them  nice?"  he  said  to  Si,  holding  out  three 
or  four  of  the  greenest  ones  he  could  find.  "Eat  'em ; 
they're  jest  gorjus!  You  can't  help  likin'  'em." 

Si  had  never  seen  any  persimmons  before.  They 
were  certainly  tempting  to  the  eye,  and  he  thought 
they  were  sent  as  manna  was  supplied  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  the  wilderness. 

Eagerly  seizing  them,  Si  tossed  one  into  his  mouth 
and  began  to  chew  it  with  great  vigor.  The  persim- 
mon got  in  its  work  at  once.  It  took  hold  with  a 
mighty  grip,  wrinkling  him  up  like  the  skins  on 
scalded  milk. 

After  sputtering  vigorously  a  few. minutes,  while 
Shorty  laughed  at  him,  Si  managed  to  get  his  tongue 
untwisted. 

"Yes,"  said  he,  "them  things  is  nice — in  a  horn! 
'Twouldn't  take  many  of  'em  to  make  a  meal !" 

A  little  farther  on  Si's  quick  eye  noticed  a  row  of 
beehives  standing  on  a  bench  in  the  yard  of  one  of 
the  natives.  Si  had  a  weakness  for  honey. 

"Shorty,"  said  he,  "see  them  hives  over  there? 
How'd  ye  like  to  have  some  honey  for  supper?" 

Shorty  "allowed"  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing. 
Si  stopped  and  waited  a  few  minutes  until  his  own 
regiment  got  past,  thinking  his  plan  would  be  less 
liable  to  interruption.  Then  he  leaped  over  the 
fence,  went  up  to  the  hives,  and  boldly  tipped  one  of 
them  over,  hoping  he  could  get  out  a  comb  or  two,  fill 
up  his  coffee-kettle,  and  effect  his  retreat  before  the 
bees  really  found  out  what  he  was  up  to. 

But  the  bees  instantly  rallied  their  forces  and 


FORAGING  ON  THE  WAY. 


173 


made  a  vigorous  assault  upon  the  invader.  Si  saw 
that  it  would  be  too  hot  for  him,  and  without  stand- 
ing upon  the  order  of  his  going  he  went  at  once,  in 
a  decidedly  panicky  state  of  mind.  The  bees  made 
the  most  of  their  opportunity,  using  their  "business 


THERE  WAS  A  MAN  AT  EVERY  HILL. 

ends"  on  him  with  great  activity  and  zeal.  They 
seemed  to  fully  share  the  common  feeling  in  the 
South  toward  the  "Yanks." 

A   pretty   woman,    standing   on   the   porch,   had 
watched  Si's  raid  from  the  doorway.     As  he  fell 


174  SI    KLEGG. 

back  in  utter  rout  she  screamed  "Sarves  ye  right!" 
and  then  sat  down  on  the  doorstep  and  laughed  till 
she  cried.  She  enjoyed  it  as  much  as  the  bees  did. 

The  latter  took  hold  of  Si  in  various  places,  and 
by  the  time  he  had  caught  up  with  the  regiment  one 
eye  was  closed,  and  there  was  a  big  lump  on  his 
nose,  besides  several  more  stings  which  the  bees 
had  judiciously  distributed  about  his  person.  It  was 
very ,  evident  that  he  had  been  overmatched  and  had 
come  out  second  best  in  the  encounter. 

Corporal  Klegg  presented  a  picturesque  appear- 
ance as  he  reached  Co.  Q.  The  boys  fairly  yelled 
with  delight. 

"Whar's  yer  honey?"  said  Shorty.  "Pears  like  ye 
waked  up  the  wrong  passenger  that  time!" 

Si  laughed  with  the  rest,  rubbed  salt  on  his  stings, 
and  plodded  on,  consoling  himself  with  the  thought 
that  his  was  not  the  only  case  in  which  the  merit  of 
earnest  effort  had  gone  unrewarded. 

Soon  after  noon  the  200th  came  to  a  large  patch 
of  sweet  potatoes.  Si  and  Shorty,  as  well  as  a  good 
many  of  the  rest,  thought  it  would  be  a  good  place 
to  lay  in  a  supply  for  supper,  as  they  might  not  have 
another  so  good  a  chance.  From  all  parts  of  the 
column  the  men,  by  dozens  dashed  into  the  field.  In 
•  a  moment  there  was  a  man  at  every  hill,  digging 
away  with  his  bayonet,  and  chucking  the  tempting 
tubers  into  his  haversack. 

Two  hours  before  going  into  camp  the  regiment 
passed  a  small  spring,  around  whic'i  a  crowd  of  sol- 
diers were  struggling  to  fill  their  canteens.  There 
had  been  a  long  stretch  without  fresh  water,  and  Si 
thought  he  would  supply  himself. 


FORAGING  ON  THE  WAY. 


175 


"Gimme  your  canteen,  too,  Shorty,  and  I'll  fill  it!" 
he  said. 

"Here,  Si,  you're  a  bully  boy,  take  mine!"  "Mine, 
too!"  "And  mine!"  said  one  after  another  of  his 


SI  BEING  WORKED  FOR  A  "GOOD  THING. 


comrades.     Si  good  naturedly    complied    and    they 
loaded  him  down  with  about  20  canteens. 

"All  right,"  said  Si,  "I'll  be  along  with  'em  full 
d'reckly!" 


176  SI    KLEGG. 

He  had  to  wait  for  his  turn  at  the  spring,  and  by 
the  time  he  had  filled  all  the  canteens  he  was  half  an 
hour  behind.  Slinging  them  around  his  neck  he 
started  on,  with  just  about  as  big  a  lead  as  he  could 
carry. 

Si  forged  ahead,  gradually  gaining  a  little,  through 
the  tardy  movement  of  the  column  that  generally 
preceded  going  into  camp.  The  canteen  straps 
chafed  his  shoulders,  his  back  ached,  and  perspira- 
tion streamed  from  every  pore.  The  smoke  of  the 
campfires  ahead  told  that  the  end  of  the  day's  march 
was  near.  He  kept  on  and  finally  came  up  with  Co. 
Q  just  as  the  200th  was  stacking  arms  on  the  bank 
of  a  clear  stream. 

Si  threw  down  his  burdens  of  canteens,  himself 
thoroughly  blown  and  well-nigh  exhausted. 

"Purty  good  load,  wasn't  it,  Si?"  said  Shorty. 
"But  what  made  ye  lug  all  that  water  in  here?  When 
ye  saw  they  was  goin'  into  camp  ahead  ye  might  ha' 
knowed  there  was  plenty  o'  water.  Why  in  blazes 
didn't  ye  turn  the  water  out  o'  them  'ere  canteens?" 

"I'll  be  hanged  if  I  thought  o'  that !"  said  Si,  while 
the  boys  joined  in  a  hearty  laugh. 

At  the  command  "Break  ranks"  there  was  a  gen- 
eral scamper  to  engage  in  the  work  of  getting  sup- 
per and  preparing  to  spend  the  night  with  as  much 
comfort  as  possible.  The  members  of  each  mess 
scattered  in  all  directions  for  water,  rails,  straw, 
etc.,  while  some  went  out  to  scour  the  adjacent  re- 
gion for  edibles. 

These  exercises  the  soldiers  always  entered  into 
with  the  heartiest  gusto,  and  the  scene  will  be  well 
remembered  by  all  those  who  marched. 


FORAGING  ON  THE  WAY.  177 

Si  threw  off  his  traps  and  dropped  on  the  ground 
to  rest  a  few  minutes.  He  got  up  presently  to 
scratch  around  with  the  rest.  As  he  took  hold  of 
his  haversack  he  was  surprised  at  its  lightness. 
When  he  laid  it  down  it  was  bulging  out  with  sweet 
potatoes,  and  a  glance  showed  him  that  these  were 
all  gone. 

"Dern  my  buttons !"  exclaimed  Si,  as  he  forgot 
his  weariness,  and  his  eyes  flashed  fire.  "If  I  am  a 
Corporal,  I  kin  jest  mash  the  feller  that  stole  my 
'taters,  I  don't  keer  if  he's  ten  foot  high.  Won't 
somebody  show  'im  to -me?  There  won't  be  'miff 
of  'im  left  to  hold  a  fun'ral  over?" 

Si  pranced  around  in  a  high  state  of  inflammation, 
and  it  is  probable  that  if  he  had  found  the  purloiner 
of  his  provender  there  would  have  been  a  harder 
fight  than  any  that  occurred  between  Buell  and 
Bragg. 

The  boys  winked  slyly  at  one  another,  and  all  said 
it  was  too  bad.  It  was  a  startling  case  of  turpitude, 
and  Si  determined  to  have  revenge  by  getting  even 
with  some  other  fellow,  without  pausing  to  consider 
the  questions  of  moral  philosophy  involved. 

"Come  'long  with  me,  Shorty!"  he  said  to  his 
friend,  and  they  strode  away.  Just  outside  the 
camp  they  came  upon  two  members  of  some  other 
new  regiment  coming  into  camp  with  a  fine  pig  slung 
over  a  pole  and  two  or  three  chickens  in  their  hands. 
Shorty  suggested  to  Si  that  this  was  a  good  chance 
for  him  to  even  up. 

"Halt,  there !"  shouted  Si  to  the  foragers.  "We're 
sent  out  to  pick  up  such  fellows  as  you !" 

The  effect  was  like  a  discharge  from  a  masked 


178  SI    KLEGG. 

battery.  The  men  dropped  their  plunder  and  fled  in 
wild  confusion. 

"Take  hold  'o  that  pole,  Shorty!"  said  Si,  and 
laying  it  upon  their  shoulders  they  made  a  trium- 
phant entry  into  camp. 

There  seemed  to  be  no  danger  of  immediate  starva- 
tion in  the  ranks  of  the  200th.  Each  man  appeared 
to  have  supplied  himself  during  the  day.  On  every 
hand  fires  gleamed  brightly  in  the  gathering  twilight, 
and  around  them  crowded  the  hungry  soldiers,  in- 
tent upon  the  simple  culinary  processes  incident  to 
the  evening  meal. 


CHAPTER   XVIIL 

A  SUNDAY  OFF  —  SI  AND  SHORTY  GET  A  MUCH-NEEDED 
WASH-UP. 


££^KrOU  can  take  it  easy  to-day,  boys,  for  we 
J[  ain't  goin'  to  move!"  said  the  Orderly  of 
Co.  Q  one  morning  at  roll-call.  'The 
orders  is  for  to  put  the  camp  in  nice  shape,  and  for 
the  men  to  wash  up.  We're  goin'  to  have  an  extra 
ration  of  soap  this  mornin',  and  you  fellows  want  to 
stir  around  lively  and  fix  yerselves  as  if  it  was  Sun- 
day and  ye  was  goin'  to  meetin'.  The  fust  thing 
after  breakfast  ail  hands  '11  turn  out  and  p'leece  ther 
camp." 

"What  in  the  world  does  he  mean  by  p'leecin'  the 
camp?"  Corporal  Klegg  asked  Shorty,  as  they  stood 
by  the  fire  making  coffee  and  warming  up  the  frag- 
ments of  chicken  that  had  been  left  over  from 
supper  the  night  before.  "I  didn't  c'pose,"  said  Si, 
"that  we  'listed  to  be  p'leecemen  !" 

Shorty  replied  that  he  didn't  know,  but  he  reck- 
oned they'd  find  out  soon  enough.  The  200th  Ind. 
had  been  on  the  jump  every  day  since  leaving  Louis- 
ville, and  this  was  the  first  time  it  had  been  called  on 
to  "police"  a  camp. 

As  soon  as  breakfast  was  over  the  Orderly  di- 
rected each  man  to  provide  himself  with  a  small 
bundle  of  sticks,  made  by  putting  together  a  dozen 
bits  of  brush  or  "switches"  three  or  four  feet  long, 
such  as  are  used  to  rural  pedagogs  to  enforce  disci- 
pline. These,  he  said,  were  the  implements  used  in 


180  SI    KLEGG. 

policing  camp,  which  meant  brushing  the  leaves  and 
loose  debris  outside  the  grounds. 

Does  Corprils  have  to  do  that  sort  o'  thing?" 
asked  Si.  He  thought  army  regulations  and  camp 
usage  ought  to  show  some  consideration  for  his  rank. 
"What's  the  use  of  bein'  a  Corporil,''  he  said  to  him- 
self, "if  it  don't  give  a  feller  a  chance  to  play  off 
once  in  a  while?" 

"Corporals  ain't  no  better'n  anybody  else,"  re- 
plied the  Orderly,  "  'n'  you  can  jist  git  some  brush 
and  go  to  work,  'long  with  the  rest !" 

Si  was  disposed  to  grumble  a  little,  but  he  obeyed 
orders  and  was  soon  scratching  up  the  leaves  and 
dust  with  great  zeal.  He  did  not  find  it  a  particu- 
larly pleasant  occupation,  but  the  camp  looked  so 
much  better  when  the  job  was  done,  that  he  thought 
it  was  not  a  bad  thing,  after  all. 

"Now,  Shorty,''  said  Si,  "let's  go  down  to  the 
creek  and  do  our  washin'.  My  clothes  has  got  to  be 
biled,  and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  yourn  had,  too." 

"Yes,  that's  a  fact !"  said  Shorty,  sadly. 

They  got  a  big  camp-kettle  that  had  been  used,  and 
would  be  again,  for  making  bean-soup,  and  started 
for  the  stream  back  of  the  camp.  They  had  no 
change  of  clothing  with  them.  Some  days  before, 
in  order  to  lighten  their  knapsacks,  they  had  taken 
out  their  extra  shirts  and  drawers,  tied  them  in  a 
bundle,  and  put  them  on  the  company  wagon,  and 
this  was  somewhere  back  in  the  rear,  owing  to  the 
confusion  of  the  campaign. 

"Seems  to  me,"  observed  Si,  "it  ain't  hardly  a 
fair  shake  for  Uncle  Sam  to  make  us  do  our  washin'. 
They  ought  to  confiscate  the  niggers  'n'  set  them  at 


A    SUNDAY    OFF.  181 

it;  or  I  don't  see  why  the  Guvyment  can't  furnish  a 
washin'  masheen  for  each  comp'ny !  'Twouldn't  be 
no  more'n  the  square  thing!" 


SI  WAS  DISPOSED  TO  GRUMBLE. 

"The  wimmen  does  the  washin',  ye  know,  Si,  up 
where  we  live,"  said  Shorty,  "  'n'  I  don't  quite  like 
the  notion  o'  doin*  that  kind  o'  work,  but  I  can't  jest 
see  how  we're  goin'  to  git  out  of  it.  It's  got  to  be 
done,  that's  sure!" 


182  SI    KLEGG. 

On  the  bank  of  the  stream  they  quickly  threw  off 
their  clothes  for  a  bath.  Si  cast  rueful  glances  at 
his  nether  garments  as  he  laid  them  on  the  ground. 

"Hadn't  we  better  pile  some  rocks  on  'em,  Shorty?" 
said  he.  I'm  affeared  if  we  don't  they'll  crawl  off 
into  the  bush. 

"Guess  we  had,"  replied  Shorty.  "I  b'lieve  mine's 
started  already !" 

Having  made  sure  of  them,  they  plunged  into  the 
water.  Far  up  and  down  the  stream  were  hundreds 
of  men,  swimming  and  splashing  about. 

The  soldiers  availed  themselves  of  every  oppor- 
tunity to  enjoy  this  luxury. 

Having  thoroughly  performed  their  ablutions,  Si 
and  Shorty  turned  their  energies  toward  the  clothes, 
which  were  in  such  sore  need  of  soap  and  hot  water. 
Putting  their  garments  into  the  kettle  and  filling  it 
with  water,  they  built  a  fire  under  it.  After  half  an 
hour  of  vigorous  boiling  they  concluded  they  were 
"done."  Plenty  of  soap,  rubbing  and  rinsing  finished 
the  work,  and  the  clothes  sure  presented  a  remarka- 
ble appearance,  particularly  the  blue  trousers. 

•^How're  we  going  to  git  'em  dry?"  asked  Si,  as 
he  wrung  out  the  last  of  his  "wash." 

"Hang  'em  on  the  fence  in  the  sun!"  replied 
Shorty. 

"But  what'll  we  wear  while  they're  dryin'  ?" 

"Nothin',  I  reckon !" 

So  they  spread  out  their  garments,  and  then 
dashed  again  into  the  water.  After  splashing  awhile 
they  came  out  and  drew  on  their  half-dried  trousers. 
Shorty  lighted  his  pipe  as  they  sat  down  to  wait 
for  the  sunshine  to  do  its  perfect  work.  All  along 


A    SUNDAY    OFF. 


183 


the  stream  were  soldiers  in  similar  stages  of  dis- 
habille. It  seemed  like  the  Garden  of  Eden. 

"Say,  Shorty,"  said  Si,  "  'taint  very  wicked  to 
smoke,  is  it?" 

"Guess  not !"  was  the  reply. 

"That's  the  way  it  'pears  to  me,  'n'  I've  been  kinder 
thinkin'  lately  that  I'd  learn  how.  The  soljers  all 


SHOWING  THE  OLD  MAN  A  TRICK. 

seem  to  enjoy  their  smokin'  so  much.  You  know, 
Shorty,  that  I  was  always  a  reel  good  boy — never 
smoked,  nor  chawed  terbacker,  nor  cussed,  nor  done 
nothin'  that  was  out  o'  the  straight  an'  narrer  way. 
When  I  jined  the  regiment  my  good  old  mother  says 
to  me :  'Now,  Si,'  says  she,  'I  do  hope  ye'll  'member 
what  I've  always  taught  ye.  I've  hearn  'em  tell  that 
they  does  drefful  things  in  the  army,  and  I  want  ye 
to  see  if  ye  can't  be  as  good  a  boy  as  ye've  been  at 
home/  Of  course,  I  told  her  I  would,  'n'  I  mean  ter 


184  SI    KLEGG. 

stick  to  it;  but  I  don't  b'lieve  there's  any  harm  in 
smokin'.  Is  it  hard  to  learn?" 

"Wall,  I  dunno;  I  reck'n  ye  can't  most  always  tell 
till  ye  try.  Take  a  whiff,  and  see  how  sh-  goes!" 
And  Shorty  handed  him  his  pipe,  which  he  had  just 
refilled  with  whittlings  of  black  "navy  plug." 

"Derned  if  I  don't  try  it !"  said  Si.  as  he  took  the 
pipe  and  began  to  puff  with  great  energy.  He  made 
a  few  wry  faces  at  first,  but  Shorty  told  him  to  stick 
to  it,  and  he  bravely  pulled  away  while  the  clouds 
of  smoke  curled  above  him. 

It  was  not  long  till  the  color  left  his  face,  his  head 
was  in  a  whirl,  and  his  stomach  began  to  manifest 
eruptive  symptoms. 

''Shorty,"  he  gasped,  "I'm  awful  sick.  If  smokin1 
makes  a  feller  feel  like  this  I  don't  want  any  more 
of  it  in  mine." 

"Where's  all  yer  sand  ye  brag  so  much  about?" 
said  Shorty,  laughing.  "You're  mighty  poor  tim- 
ber for  a  soljer  if  ye  can't  stand  a  little  pipe  o'  ter- 
backer  like  that.  You'll  get  over  it  purty  soon,  and 
it  won't  bother  ye  any  next  time  ye  try  it." 

Si  found  that  he  had  on  hand  about  as  much  as 
he  could  manage  with  his  dizzy  head  and  the  rebel- 
lion that  was  so  actively  going  on  at  a  point  a  little 
lower  in  his  physical  system.  The  feeling  wore 
gradually  off,  however,  and  by  the  time  he  was  able 
to  walk  their  clothes  were  well  dried.  They  pro- 
ceeded to  "dress  up,"  and  then  returned  to  camp. 

During  the  afternoon  the  camp  was  visited  by 
natives,  black  and  white,  from  the  region  round 
about,  with  corn  "pones,"  alleged  pies,  boiled  eggs, 
and  truck  of  various  kinds,  which  they  sought  to 


A    SUNDAY    OFF.  185 

dispose  of  for  a  valuable  consideration.  They  struck 
a  bad  crowd,  however,  in  a  financial  sense.  The 
members  of  the  200th  Ind.  were  not  at  this  time  in  a 
condition  of  opulence.  Most  of  them  had  spent  what 
money  they  brought  from  home,  and  they  had  not 
been  out  long  enough  yet  to  receive  a  visit  from  the 
Paymaster.  The  lank  men  and  scrawny  women  cried 
their  wares  vociferously,  but  with  indifferent  results. 
The  boys  wanted  the  stuff,  but  they  were  "busted," 
and  trade  was  dull. 

Si  looked  wistfully  at  the  "pies,"  and  suggested  to 
Shorty  a  joint  investment.  Their  purses  were  nearly 
empty,  but  the  temptation  was  too  strong  to  be 
resisted. 

"Them  looks  nice,"  said  Si.  They  were  the  first 
pies  he  had  seen  since  leaving  home,  and  his  judg- 
ment was  a  little  "off."  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was 
only  by  the  greatest  stretch  of  courtesy  that  they 
could  be  called  pies  at  all.  But  the  word  touched  Si 
in  a  tender  spot,  and  he  only  thought  of  such  as  his 
mother  used  to  make. 

Si  and  Shorty  "pooled  in"  and  bought  a  pie.  Im- 
patiently whipping-  out  his  pocket  knife  Si  tried  to 
cut  it  in  two.  It  was  hard  work,  for  the  "crust"- 
so  called — was  as  tough  as  the  hide  of  a  mule.  By 
their  united  efforts  they  at  length  succeeded  in  saw- 
ing it  asunder.  It  was  a  fearful  and  wonderful 
specimen  of  culinary  effort.  It  was  made  of  two 
slabs  of  sodden,  leathery  dough,  with  a  very  feeble 
layer  of  dried  apples  sandwiched  between  them. 

Si  tried  his  teeth  on  the  pie,  but  it  was  like  trying 
to  chew  an  old  boot-leg. 

"I  say,  old  lady,"  said  he,  turning  to  the  female  of 


186  SI    KLEGG. 

whom  he  had  bought  it,  "is  these  pies  pegged  or 
sewed?" 

"Look  a  hyar,  young  feller,"  said  the  woman,  with 
considerable  vinegar  in  her  tone,  "p'raps  you-uns-all 
thinks  it's  right  smart  to  insult  we-uns ;  it  shows  how 
yer  wuz  broughten  up.  I  don't  'low  yer  ever  seed 
any  nicer  dog-g-goned  pies  'n  them  is.  Ye  needn't 
try  ter  argify  'long  'th  me,  fur  I  kin  jest  knock  the 
spots  off'n  any  woman  there  is  'round  here  in 
cookin'." 

Si  saw  that  it  would  be  profitless  to  discuss  the 
matter,  and  concluded  to  make  the  best  of  a  bad  bar- 
gain. But  he  wouldn't  eat  the  pie. 

On  the  whole,  the  hucksters  fared  rather  badly. 
The  boys  confiscated  most  of  the  stuff  that  was 
brought  in,  promising  to  pay  next  time  they  came 
that  way.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  grumbling,  but 
the  trouble  always  ended  in  the  soldiers  getting  the 
plunder. 

The  climax  was  reached  when  a  putty-faced  citizen 
drove  into  camp  a  bony  mule  tied  with  straps  and 
ropes  and  strings  to  a  crazy  cart,  on  which  was  a 
barrel  of  cider,  which  he  "allowed"  to  sell  out  to  the 
boys  at  10  cents  a  drink,  or  a  quarter  a  canteen  full. 
He  had  a  spigot  rigged  up  in  one  end  and  an  old  tin 
cupj  with  which  he  dealt  out  the  seductive  beverage 
to  such  as  would  pay. 

A  thirsty  crowd  gathered  around  him,  but  sales 
were  slow,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  money.  Si 
and  Shorty  mingled  with  the  boys,  and  then  drew 
aside  and  engaged  in  a  whispered  consultation. 

"That'll  be  jest  bully!"  said  Shorty.    "If  you  can 


A    SUNDAY    OFF. 


187 


raise  an  auger  somewhere  we'll  git  the  bulge  on  that 
old  chap." 


WAITING  FOR  THEIR  CLOTHES  TO  DRY. 

Si  returned  after  a  brief  absence,  with  an  auger 


188  SI    KLEGG. 

which  he  had  borrowed  from  the  driver  of  an  ammu- 
nition wagon. 

"Now,  Shorty,"  said  Si,  "you  git  the  boys  to  stand 
around  and  keep  up  a  racket,  and  I'll  crawl  under 
the  cart  and  bore  a  hole  into  that  'ere  barrel.  Then 
pass  in  yer  canteens  and  army  kettles  'n'  we'll  show 
the  old  man  a  trick !" 

Shorty  quietly  broached  the  scheme  to  a  few  of 
his  comrades,  who  fell  in  with  it  at  once.  Gathering 
around  the  cart,  they  cheered  and  chattered  so  as  to 
drown  any  noise  Si  might  make  while  carrying  out 
his  plan,  and  which  would  "give  it  away." 

It  was  not  more  than  a  minute  till  a  gurgling  sound 
was  heard,  and  Si  began  to  pass  out  to  the  boys  the 
buckets  and  canteens  which  they  so  freely  furnished 
him,  filled  with  the  fast-flowing  contents  of  the  bar- 
rel. It  didn't  take  long  to  empty  it  entirely,  nor  did 
the  citizen  discov3r  the  state  of  affairs  until  the  cider 
no  longer  ran  from  the  spigot. 

He  had  not  sold  more  than  a  gallon  or  two,  and  he 
was  amazed  when  the  liquid  ceased  to  respond.  Then 
he  resolved  himself  into  an  investigating  committee, 
and  after  a  protracted  search  he  discovered  the  trick 
that  had  been  played  on  him. 

"Wall,  I'll  be  gosh-durned !"  he  exclaimed.  "I've 
hearn  tell  'bout  Yankee  tricks,  but  clog  my  cats  if 
this  'ere  don't  beat  'em  all !  I'd  like  to  cut  the  gizzard 
outen  the  rascal  that  bored  the  hole  in  that  bar'l !" 

"I  declare,  old  pard ;  that  was  mean !"  said  Si,  who 
stood  looking  on,  with  his  hands  in  his  trousers 
pockets,  the  very  picture  of  innocence.  "I'm  jist 
goin'  to  flax  'round  'n'  help  ye  find  that  feller.  If  I 
was  you  I'd  pound  the  stuffin'  out  of  him — when  ye 
cotch  him !" 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

A   CLOSE  CALL  —  CORPORAL   KLEGG   HAS  AN  EXCITING 
ADVENTURE  GUARDING  A  FORAGE  TRAIN. 

OMPANY  Q's  bin  detailed  to  go  out  V  help 
guard  a  forage  train  to-morrow,"  said  the 
Orderly  one  evening  at  roll-call.  "You  fel- 
lers wants  to  all  be  up  'n'  dressed  bright  'n'  early, 
with  yer  cartridge-boxes  full  'n'  a  day's  rations  in 
yer  haversacks.  Be  sure  yer  guns  is  in  good  order, 
fer  likely's  not  we'll  have  a  squirmish  afore  we  git 
back." 

The  200th  Ind.  had  been  lying  in  camp  for  two 
or  three  days,  and  the  ambitious  heroes  who  com- 
posed that  regiment  were  getting  tired  of  loafing 
about.  Nothing  chafed  the  raging  patriotism  of 
the  new  troops  like  a  condition,  however  brief,  of 
masterly  inactivity.  They  refused  to  be  comforted 
unless  they  were  on  the  warpath  all  the  time.  Their 
ideal  of  a  soldier's  life  was  to  take  a  rebel  battery 
every  morning  before  breakfast,  storm  a  line  of 
works  to  give  them  an  appetite  for  dinner,  and 
spend  the  afternoon  charging  with  cold  steel  the 
serried  columns  of  the  foe  and  wading  around 
through  seas  of  gore. 

So  Corporal  Klegg  and  Shorty  and  the  rest  of 
the  boys  betook  themselves  with  alacrity  to  the 
work  of  preparation  for  the  duties  of  the  morrow. 
Members  of  the  other  companies  watched  the  pro- 
ceedings with  jealous  eye.  They  almost  turned 


190  SI    KLEGG. 

green  with  envy  because  they  were  not  detailed 
for  the  expedition  instead  of  Co.  Q. 

"Say,  Si,"  remarked  Shorty,  thoughtfully,  "hadn't 
we  better  write  a  letter  home  ?  Who  knows  but  we'll 
be  as  dead  as  mackerels  to-morrer  night!" 

"Fiddlesticks !"  said  Si.  "What's  the  use  o'  havin' 
a  funeral  afore  there's  any  corpse!  We've  bin 
through  one  fight  'n'  didn't  git  hurt,  'n'  I've  made 
up  my  mind  there's  no  use  gittin'  into  a  stew  over 
a  thing  that  may  hap'n  'n'  may  not.  Time  'nuff 
to  fret  'bout  it  when  it  comes.  I  recolleck  one 
thing  I  learned  in  Sunday-school  —  let's  see,  it  was 
'S'ficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof/  or  suthin' 
like  that.  Strikes  me  that's  a  good  passidge  o' 
Scripter  fer  a  soldier  to  keep  pasted  in  his  hat.  I 
ain't  goin'  ter  hang  back  fer  fear  a  bullit  '11  hit  me, 
nuther.  If  we're  going  to  be  killed  we  can't  help 
it,  so  let's  not  fret  our  gizzards  out!"  And  Si 
crammed  a  handful  of  hardtack  into  his  haversack. 

Si's  cheery  view  of  the  case  was  not  without  its 
effect  upon  Shorty.  Indeed,  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  there  was  a  great  deal  of  common  sense  in  his 
homely,  good-natured  philosophy.  Sooner  or  ?ater 
every  soldier  who  did  not  "peter  out"  came  grad- 
ually to  adopt  Si's  idea  as  the  governing  principle 
of  his  military  career. 

"Shouldn't  wonder  if  you  was  'bout  right,  after 
all,"  said  Shorty,  as  he  sliced  up  some  bacor  to 
have  it  ready  for  an  early  breakfast.  "You're 
better'n  medicine,  Si,  to  a  feller  w'at  gits  the  bhjes 
sometimes !" 

The  preparations  were  soon  made,  and  Co.  Q 
went  to  bed  early.  In  the  morning  the  Orderly 


A  CLOSE  CALL. 


191 


came  around  and  stirred  the  boys  up  an  hour  .before 
reveille,  as  they  were  ordered  to  be  ready  to  start 
at  daylight.  The  primary  object  of  the  expedition 
was  forage  for  the  animals,  the  supply  of  which 
had  run  short.  Besides  this,  each  man  had  a  sec- 
ondary purpose,  and  that  was  to  gather  in  something 


AN    ASSAULT   ON    THE    WELL-FILLED    CORN    CRIB. 

on  his  own  hook  that  would  satisfy  his  longing  for 
a  change  from  the  regulation  diet.  This  was  always 
the  unwritten  part  of  the  order  to  "go  out  foraging." 
Daylight  was  just  streaking  over  the  camp  when 
Co.  Q,  equipped  in  light  marching  order,  leaving 
knapsacks  behind,  moved  out  to  where  the  half  dozen 
wagons  detailed  from  the  regimental  transportation 
were  ready  for  the  start.  Each  regiment  in  the 


192  SI    KLEGG. 

brigade  furnished  a  company  and  the  same  number" 
of  wagons.  The  impatient  mules  were  braying  and 
flapping  their  ears,  as  if  they  understood  that  they 
were  to  be  the  chief  beneficiaries  of  the  raid. 

"Pile  in,  boys!"  said  the  Orderly,  and  they  clam- 
bered into  the  wagons.  The  guard?  were  permitted 
to  ride  until  there  were  symptoms  of  danger. 

Then  the  muleteers,  bestriding  the  big  "wheelers," 
cracked  their  long  whips  like  pistol-snots,  addressed 
to  the  mules  the  usual  words  of  exhortation,  and  the 
long  procession  drew  out  upon  the  stony  pike  and 
took  a  brisk  trot.  Considerable  foraging  had  al- 
ready been  done  in  the  vicinity,  and  it  was  expected 
the  train  would  have  to  go  out  several  miles  in 
order  to  fully  accomplish  its  object.  The  boys  were 
in  fine  spirits  and  enjoyed  their  morning  ride,  albeit 
the  jolting  of  the  wagons  gave  them  a  thorough 
shaking  up. 

"I  guess  they  forgot  to  put  any  springs  in  when 
they  built  these  wagons !"  said  Shorty,  as  he  shifted 
his  position  so  that  he  might  catch  the  bumps  in  a 
new  place  for  a  while. 

"Jest  thinkin'  that  way  myself,"  replied  Si;  "but 
all  the  same,  it  beats  travelin'  on  the  hoof  all  holler!" 

Three  or  four  miles  out  from  camp  the  train  was 
halted  while  the  officers  in  command  made  inquiries 
of  a  cadaverous  native  who  was  sunning  himself  on 
the  fence  and  whose  principal  occupation  seemed 
to  be  chewing  tobacco  and  distributing  the  resultant 
liquid  around  in  a  promiscuous  way. 

"Good  morning,  stranger,"  said  the  officer,  "have 
you  any  corn  on  your  place?" 

"Haint  got  a  dog-goned  ear  left!"  was  the  surly 


A  CLOSE  CALL. 


answer.  "Some  o'  you-unses  men  wuz  out  here  yis- 
terdy  'n'  tuk  every  bit  I  hed." 

This  may  or  may  not  have  been  true.  Inquiries 
of  this  nature  always  developed  the  fact  that  it  was 
a  man's  neighbors  who  had  plenty  of  corn  ;  he  never 
had  any  himself. 

"There's  ole  man  Scroggs,-"  he  continued  ;  "he  lives 
a  matter  of  two  miles  from  hyar.  I  'low  ye'll  git 
sum  if  ye  go  thar.  He  growed  a  power  o'  cawn  this 
yeah;  he  sold  a  heap,  but  I  reckon  he's  got  a  right 
smart  left." 

During  this  time  a  couple  of  men  had  been  making 
a  hasty  examination  of  the  outbuildings  on  the  place. 
They  reported  that  they  could  find  nothing  in  the  way 
of  forage.  If  the  man  had  any  corn  he  had  care- 
fully concealed  it.  The  train  started  on  to  pay  a 
visit  to  old  man  Scroggs." 

"Say,  old  pard,"  asked  Si  as  his  wagon  drove  past, 
"is  there  any  rebs  'round  here?" 

"There  wuz  a  few  Confedrit  critter-men  ridin' 
'bout  hyar  this  mawnin'  ;  —  mebby  ye'll  run  agin  'em 
'afore  night." 

"How  many  o'  your  boys  is  among  em?" 

"We'uns  is  all  Union." 

"Jest  as  long  as  we're  'round,  I  s'pose!"  said  Si. 

A  mile  further  on  those  who  were  in  the  lead,  ris- 
ing to  the  crest  of  a  hill,  saw  —  or  thought  they  saw 
—  a  few  vagrant  cavalrymen  far  ahead.  The  train 
was  halted  and  dispositions  were  made  to  meet  any 
emergency  likely  to  arise.  The  men  were  ordered 
to  "tumble  out"  of  the  wagons.  The  main  body  was 
formed  in  advance.  A  line  of  skirmishers  was  de- 
ployed in  front  and  flankers  were  thrown  out  on 


1 04  SI    KLEGC. 

either  side.  Thus  protected,  the  mule  drivers  again 
cracked  their  whips  and  the  procession  moved  cau- 
tiously forward. 

"Now  keep  yer  eyes  skinned,"  said  Si  to  Shorty 
as  they  trailed  along  through  the  woods  and  fields 
and  over  fences,  on  one  of  the  flanks.  "If  any  of 
them  raskils  comes  dodgin'  'round  here  let's  try  'n' 
have  the  first  crack  at  'em  'n'  git  the  bulge  on  the 
rest  o'  the  boys !" 

Keenly  alert,  with  muskets  loaded  and  capped,  they 
crept  carefully  along,  poking  their  noses  into  every 
thicket  and  peering  around  every  building.  It  was 
clear  that  there  would  not  be  anything  in  the  nature 
of  a  surprise  if  the  whole  line  was  as  well  taken  care 
of  as  the  particular  point  guarded  by  Corporal  Klegg 
and  his  faithful  friend  Shorty. 

"It's  some  like  huntin'  squirrels  up  in  the  woods 
of  Posey  County,"  said  Si,  as  they  forced  their  way 
through  a  patch  of  brambles. 

"  'Pears  to  be  rayther  more  excitin'  than  huntin' 
squirrels,"  said  Shorty.  "Ye  know  squirrels  doesn't 
shute  back  at  a  feller  like  them  pesky  rebbles  does, 
an'  the  fun  's  all  on  one  side.  I  reckon  ef  squirrels 
c'd  shute  there  wouldn't  be  so  much  huntin'  of  'em !" 

It  was  really  a  disappointment  to  Si  that  he  found 
no  opportunity  to  squint  along  the  barrel  of  his 
musket  in  range  of  a  foe.  If  any  of  his  misguided 
fellow-citizens  were  in  the  neighborhood  they  con- 
sidered discretion  the  better  part  of  valor  and  kept 
out  of  harm's  way. 

In  due  time  the  Scroggs  plantation  was  reached. 
A  hasty  examination  showed  that  there  was  an 
abundance  of  corn  on  the  place  to  load  the  wagons, 


A   CLOSE   CALL. 


195 


and  arrangements  for  a  sudden  transfer  of  the  prop- 
erty were  quickly  made.  A  third  of  the  force  estab- 
lished a  cordon  of  picket-posts  around  the  marauding 
party,  covering  all  the  avenues  of  approach,  with  re- 


SHORTY   HELD   THE   CALF. 

serves  at  convenient  points.  The  remainder  of  the 
troops  stacked  arms  and  entered  briskly  upon  the 
work  of  confiscation. 

Part  of  the  harvest  had  already  been  gathered, 
and  the  first  assault  wras  made  on  a  well-filled  corn- 
house — one  of  a  group  of  dilapidated  out-buildings  a 
little  way  from  the  dwelling.  "Qld  man"  Scroggs 


196  SI    KLEGG. 

protested  with  profane  vehemence,  reinforced  by  the 
"old  woman"  and  the  entire  family  of  children.  We 
say  "entire  family,"  because  there  could  not  well 
have  been  a  more  numerous  progeny  in  one  house- 
hold anywhere  outside  of  Utah. 

The  head  of  the  family  cursed  and  swore,  and  his 
wife  and  the  big  girls  looked  as  if  they  wanted  to  do 
the  same  thing,  as  they  stood  wringing  their  hands, 
their  eyes  flashing  fire  while  the  small-fry  stood 
around  and  sobbed  with  a  vague  idea  that  some  dire 
calamity  had  befallen  them. 

The  old  Kentuckian  declared  that  he  was  a  "Union 
man,"  and  that  he  would  demand  of  the  Government 
full  revenge  for  this  outrage.  It  was  noticed  that 
there  were  no  young  men  around  as  there  should  be 
according  to  the  economy  of  nature,  to  preserve  the 
balance  of  sex  in  so  large  a  family.  The  officer  in 
command  asked  him  where  all  his  sons  were. 

"Wall,  I  kaint  tell  yer  'zactly  whar  they  is,"  was 
the  reply.  "They  ain't  to  hum  jest  now.  I  'low 
they've  got  a  right  to  g'way  ef  they  want  ter." 

The  officer  had  been  informed  that  there  were 
several  representatives  of  the  Scroggs  family  in  the 
rebel  army.  The  old  man's  avowal  of  loyalty  was 
taken  for  what  it  was  worth.  That  it  was  not  rated 
at  a  high  figure  was  well  attested  by  the  appearance 
of  the  plantation  a  few  hours  later. 

Meanwhile  the  soldiers  kept  right  along  in  the 
duty  assigned  them.  The  corn-house  was  surrounded 
by  wagons,  the  roof  was  gently  lifted  off,  and  in 
scarcely  more  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  the  story  six 
or  eight  of  the  wagons  were  heaped  with  the  con- 
tents. The  mules  wagged  their  tails  and  brayed  in 


A  CLOSE,  CALL. 


anticipation  of  the  picnic  they  would  have,  when  they 
got  back  to  camp.  ,.,;n.. 

Then  the  force  moved  some  distance  and  attacked 
a  large  field  of  standing  corn.  The  stalks  had  .been 
"topped,"  but  the  ears  were  yet  ungathered.  The 
men  started  in  between  the  rows  and.  swept  through 
that  field  like  a,  cyclone,  plucking  the  ears  right  and 
left.  Bags,  baskets  and  j  boxes  were  pressed  into 
the  service,  and  as  there  were  not  enough  of  .  these 
to  go  round  many  bore  the  corn  to  the  wagons.,  by 
armfuls.  It  did,  not  take  more  than  two  or  three 
hours  to  strip  every  ear  from  the  field.  A;  visitation 
of  overgrown  Kansas  grasshoppers  could  not  :have 
done  a  more  thorough  j  ob.  ,,  ,..,,,,., 

.  "Fo*  de  Lawd,  boss,"  said,  an  .old  darky  w,ho  had 
been  roosting  on  the  fence  watching  the  spoilers,.  i"I 
nebber  seed  de  .crap  gaddered  so  quick  since  Fse 
bawn.  You'uns  all  is  powerful  smart,  da't  shuah!" 

But  where  were  Corporal  Klegg  and  his  comrade, 
Shorty,  while  all  this  was  going  on? 
:  They  had  been  .stationed  as  sentinels  near  a  house, 
half  a  mile  beyond,  on  the  pike.  They  were  cau- 
tioned to  keep  a  sharp  lookout,  and  for  a  time  they 
obeyed  their  instructions  to  the  letter.  Their.  vigi- 
lant eyes  swept  the  surrounding  country,  and  no 
rebel  could  have  crept  ;  up  on  them  without  ,  getting 
a  pair,  of  bullets  from  their  ready  .muskets.  ,  They 
saw  no  signs  of  an  enemy,  and  after  a  while  it  (be- 
gan to  grow  monotonous. 

;  "Shorty,"  said  Si,  "I  don't  b'lieve  there's  any  se- 
ceshers  in  these  parts,  an*  there  ain't  any  use!n.ius 
both  keepin'  this  thing  up.  You  jest  watch-  out 
awhile  'n'  I'll  skin  around  V  see  what.  I  kin  find".  , 


198  SI    KLEGG. 

Shorty  agreed  to  this,  taking  it  as  an  order  from 
his  superior  officer.  Si  threw  his  gun  up  to  a  "right 
shoulder  shift"  and  started  off,  after  again  urging 
upon  his  companion  the  importance  of  attending 
strictly  to  business. 

Si  had  not  gone  far  till  he  saw,  penned  in  a  corner 
of  the  barnyard,  a  cow  with  a  full  udder,  from  which 
a  frisky  young  calf  was  busily  engaged  in  pumping 
nourishment.  A  violent  feeling  of  envy  toward 
that  calf  began  immediately  to  rage  in  the  breast 
of  Si.  He  had  not  had  a  draft  of  fresh  milk  since  he 
had  left  home,  and  he  felt  that  a  little  refreshment 
of  that  kind  would  be  particularly  gratifying  to  his 
interior  organism.  It  would  strengthen  him  and 
give  him  new  courage  to  stand  up  to  the  rack  if  they 
should  happen  to  get  into  a  fight. 

"I  say,  Shorty,"  he  called,  "cum  'ere  a  minnit. 
quick !" 

Si's  conscience  smote  him  for  calling  Shorty  from 
his  duty  and  leaving  the  post  unguarded,  but  the 
temptation  was  too  strong  for  him  to  resist,  and  he 
yielded  to  the  impulse  to  take  the  chances.  Shorty 
came  on  the  run,  with  eyes  wide  open,  thinking  his 
comrade  had  discovered  some  rebels  hanging  around. 

"Look  there!"  said  Si,  pointing  to  the  maternal 
scene  that  has  been  alluded  to.  "Let's  have  some 
o'  that.  We'll  git  over  the  fence  'n'  you  jest  hold  the 
calf  while  I  milk  our  canteens  full.  'Twont  take 
more'n  a  jiffy!" 

"We  ort  n't  to  leave  the  post,  ort  we?"  suggested 
Shorty. 

"Oh,  there  ain't  no  danger,"  Si  replied;  "an'  be- 
sides, you  can  keep  lookin'  out  while  you're  hangin' 


A  CLOS^   CALL. 


199 


on  to  the  calf.    I  was  allers  a  good  milker  'n*  I'll  fill 
up  these  canteens  in  a  couple  o'  minnits." 

So  they  climbed  over  and  leaned  their  muskets 


SI  SPRANG  UPON  HIM. 

Against  the  fence.  Shorty  seized  the  calf  and  held  it 
with  a  firm  grip,  in  spite  of  its  struggling  and  bleat- 
ing. The  cow  seemed  disposed  at  first  to  resent  the 


fei  KLEGG. 


interference,  tout  Si's  persuasive  •"  So,  bossy!"  proved 
effectual  in  calming  her  fears,  and  she  stood  placidly 
chewing  her  cud  while  Si,  spurred  on:  by  a  guilty 
conscience,  milked  with  all  his  might. 

The  canteens  wire  soon  filled,  and,  with  out  stop- 
ping to  dfink,  Si  and  Shorty  hurried  back  to  their 
post  of  duty.  All  was  quiet,  and  no  harm  had  re- 
sulted from  their  brief  absence. 

"I  told  ye  'twould  be  all  right,"  said  Si.  "Now, 
we'll  jest  empty  one  o'  these  canteens  —  here,  take  a 
swig—  'n'  we'll  carry  the  other  to  camp.  It'll  be  jest 
bully  to  have  milk  in  our  coffee  agin!" 

(Then  they  betook  themselves  to  duty  with  re- 
doubled vigilance,  to  attone  for  their  derelictions. 
After  watching  for  an  hour  without  seeing  anything, 
Si  said  he  would  take  another  little  turn  around  the 
place. 

Boldly  advancing  to  the  house,  which  was  some 
distance  in  front  of  their  post,  he  was  met  by  a  girl 
of  about  18.  She  was  rather  pretty,  but  to  Si's 
ardent  imagination  she  was  like  a  vision  of  surpass- 
ing loveliness.  She  greeted  him  pleasantly  —  for  Si 
wa&  a  comely  youth  —  and,  if  the  truth  must  be  told, 
he  actually  forgot  for  the  moment  all  about  his  duty. 
When  she  said  she  would  get  him  a  good  dinner,  and 
invited  him  into  the  house  to  sit  while  she  prepared 
it,  he  just  went  right  along. 

But  his  conscience  began  to  thump  so  loudly  that 
after  a  few  minutes'he  told  her  he  guessed  he'd  have 
to  go,  but  would  be  delighted  to  return  in  an  hour 
and  partake  of  her  hospitality. 

"May  I  bring  Shorty  —  he's  my  pard  —  'long  with 
me?"  he  timidly  asked. 


"Certainly!"  she  replied,  with  a  sweet  smile;  Jand 
Si  went  away,  his  nerves  tingling  with  pleasant* 
emotions  to  the  very  tips. of  his  fingers^  "Ion— 

"Shorty,"  he  said,  as  he  came  up  to  the  ?lafctei%} 
"I've  struck  it  this  time.  Over  to  that  house  there's 
the  purtiest  gal  I  ever"  .aissl  g'hrg  ertt  teiup 

"Wha-a-a-a-t!"  interjected  Shorty,  with  a  loaaKTof 
astonishment;  for  he  knew  something  about  Sikajiek 
Annabel — the  girl  he  left  behind  him-^aMrlie/wasl 
both  surprised  and  pained  at; 'Si's;  treasonable. teB€j 
thusiasm.  rrol  silt  vcf  boii:  isrl 

Si  easily  divined  his  thou'ghts,  fcr  something -jofe 
the  same  nature  had  already  caused  his  own  heart 
to  palpitate  in  a  reproving  way.  tsw  verlt  sfirlW 

"Of— c-c-course^-r-I    d-d-don't^-^niein^ntliHti^khat^) 
Shorty/'  he  stammtered  but  she's  a  nice  girl,  any- 
how, 'n'  she's  gittin'  up  a  dinner  fer  me  Jn'  you.     Bet: 
ye  it'll  be  a  nice  lay-out,  too:!":b    /isiblog    Isdai   s   'io 

Shorty  did  not  feel  quite  at  ease  in  his  mind  aboub 
leaving  the  post  again,  but  Si  assured  him  it  would; 
be  all  right.    The  peculiar  circumstances  of /the^cSse 
had  sadly  warped  Si's  judgme^^  brt£  nsbbua  9fti  o,t 

So  they  went  to  the  house  and  were  cordially 
greeted  by  their  fair  young  hostess,  who  was  fly- 
ing aroiind,  putting  the  finishing  touches  tcbltbe' 

eal  she  had  prepared  for  them. 

Jiminy,  don't  that  smell  good?"  said  Si  to  Shorty 
in  an  undertone,  as  his  sensitive  nostrils  caught  the 
savory  odors  that  arose  from  the  nicely-spread 
board.  >  ii  (fri// 

The  young  soldiers  stood  their  guns  on  the  floor 
in  a  corner  of  the  room,  preliminary  to  an  assault 
on  the  edibles.  il^I jx -->  /ijfujiiqfnmi)  bus  bfisrf 


>..  c 

(4 


202  SI    KLEGG. 

"Ugh!"  exclaimed  the  young  woman,  with  a  co- 
quettish shiver,  "be  them  awful  things  loaded?" 

."N— no!"  said  Si;  "they  won't  hurt  ye  if  ye  don't 
touch  'em !" 

Si  was  learning  to  fib  a  little,  and  he  wanted  to 
quiet  the  girl's  fears. 

The  boys  were  soon  seated  at  the  table,  bountifully 
supplied  with  ham,  chicken,  eggs,  bread  and  butter, 
honey,  and  all  the  accessories  of  a  well-ordered  re- 
past. They  fell  to  with  an  eagerness  that  was,  per- 
haps, justified  by  the  long  time  that  had  elapsed 
since  they  had  had  a  "square  meal."  Si  thought 
that  never  in  his  life  had  anything  tasted  so  good. 

While  they  were  thus  engaged,  without  a  thought 
of  impending  danger,  the  girl  suddenly  opened  tha 
door,  leading  into  an  adjoining  room.  A  wild-eyed 
man — who  proved  to  be  her  brother — in  the  uniform 
of  a  rebel  soldier,  dashed  in,  and,  presenting  a 
cocked  revolver,  demanded  their  unconditional  and 
immediate  surrender. 

They  were  in  a  tight  place.  But  Si  proved  equal 
to  the  sudden  and  appalling  emergency.  It  flashed 
through  his  mind  in  an  instant  how  the  girl  had 
"played  it"  on  him.  He  made  up  his  mind  that  hs 
would  rather  be  shot  than  be  captured  under  such 
circumstances. 

Si  sprang  up,  and  the  rebel,  true  to  his  word,  fired. 
Si  dodged,  and  the  ball  only  chipped  a  piece  from  his 
left  ear.  There  was  not  time  to  get  and  use  his  gun. 
with  the  quickness  of  a  cat  Si  sprang  upon  him,  and 
with  a  blow  of  his  fist  laid  him  sprawling  upon  the 
floor.  Disarming  him,  he  placed  the  revolver  at  his 
head  and  triumphantly  exclaimed: 


A  CLOSE  CALL. 


203 


'SHORTY  IF  WE  —  ONLY  GIT  —  OUT  0'  THIS — " 


Si    KLEGG'. 


"Now,  gol  durn  ye.  you're  my  prisoner.  I'd  like 
to  blow  the  top  o'  yer  head  off  fer  spilin'  my  dinner, 
but  I  won't  do  it  thisHime.  But  you  jist  git  up  'n' 
come  'long  with  me!"  {}.< 

With  his  complete  mastery  of  the  situation,  Si's 
confidence  returned,  and  Shorty,  who  had  been  dazed 
and^  helpless  at  first,  recovered  himself  and  came  to 
his  assistance. 

But  at  this  instant  their  ears  caught  the  sound  of 
horses'  hoofs  galloping  down  the  pike.  Si's  quick 
perception  told  him  that  is  was  a  dash  of  rebel  cav- 
alrymen, and  that  a  few  moments  later  escape  would 
be  impossible. 

"Grab  yer  gun  an'  git!"  he  said  to  Shorty,  at  the 
same  time  casting  one  ferocious  glance  at  the  ter- 
rified girl  who  stood,  white  and  speechless,  contem- 
plating the  scene. 

Si  and  Shorty  dashed  out  of  the  house  and  started 
for  the  reserve,  at  the  highest  speed  of  which  their 
legs  were  capable.  On  clattered  the  horses,  and  a 
few  shots  from  the  carbines  of  the  swift-riding 
horsemen  whistled  through  the  air. 

Six  feet'  at  a  jump,  with  thumping  hearts  and 
bulging  eyes,  the  fugitives  almost  flew  over  the 
ground,  throwing  quick  glances  back  at  their  pur- 
surers,  and  then  ahead,  in  the  hope  of  catching  a 
glimpse  of  succor.  •;  ^-' 

"Shorty,  if  we  -  only  git  —  —out  o'  this——"  but 
Si  found  he  hadn't  any  wind  to  spare  to  finish  the 
sentence.  We  must  leave  to  the  reader's  imagina- 
tion the^'gbod  resolutions  as  to  his  future  -conduct 
that  were  forming  in  Si's  mind  at  this  critical  junc- 
ture. He  saw  the  awful  consequences  of  yielding  to 


A  CLOSE  CALL.  205 

the  influence  of  that  alluring  young  woman  and  her 
seductive  dinner.  What  he  had  read  about  Adam 
and  the  trouble  Eve  got  him  into,  in  pretty  much 
the  same  way,  flashed  before  him.  It  was  a  good 
time  to  resolve  that  he  wouldn't  do  so  any  more. 

Shorty,  long  and  lank,  was  swifter  on  his  feet  than 
Si.  Hardtack  and  bacon  had  not  yet  reduced  the 
latter's  surplus  flesh  to  a  degree  that  enabled  him  to 
run  well.  Shorty  kept  ahead,  but  would  not  desert 
his  comrade,  slowing  up  for  an  instant  now  and  then 
to  give  Si,  who  was  straining  to  the  utmost  every 
nerve,  and  puffing  like  a  locomotive  on  an  up  grade, 
a  chance  to  keep  within  supporting  distance. 

The  soldiers  of  the  reserve  taking  the  alarm, 
came  out  at  a  double-quick  and  were  fortunately  able 
to  cover  the  retreat  of  Si  and  Shorty.  The  half 
dozen  cavalrymen,  upon  the  appearance  of  so  large 
a  force,  turned  their  horses  and  galloped  away. 

"Hello,  Si,"  said  the  Orderly  of  Co.  Q,  "yer  ear's 
bleedin'.  What  hurt  ye?" 

"Fell  down  and  scratched  it  on  a  brier!"  said  Si, 
as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  speak. 

That  night  Si  and  Shorty  sat  on  a  log  by  the  camp- 
fire  talking  over  the  events  of  the  day. 

"Don't  ye  never  blow  on  this  thing,"  said  Si.  "It'll 
be  a  cold  day  for  us  if  they'd  find  it  out." 

"There  ain't  no  danger  o'  my  tellin',"  replied 
Shorty.  "But,  say,  ain't  that  a  nice  girl  out  there?" 

"She's  a  mean  rebel,  that's  what  she  is !  But  that 
was  a  smart  trick  o'  her'n,  wasn't  it?" 

"Come  mighty  near  bein'  too  smart  fer  us!"  re- 
plied Shorty.  "I  don't  want  no  more  such  close 
shaves  in  mine.  You  'member  the  story  of  the  spider 


206  SI    KLEGG. 

and  the  fly,  don't  ye?    Well,  she  was  the  spider  'n' 
we  was  two  poor  little  fool  flies !" 

"Shorty,"  said  Si,  "I'd  a  mighty  sight  ruther  be 
an  angel  an'  have  the  daisies  a-bloomin'  over  my 
grave,  than  to  have  been  tuk  a  pris'ner  in  that  house. 
But  that  dinner  was  good,  anyhow — what  we  got 
of  it!" 


CHAPTER   XX, 


''THE  SWEET  SABBATH"  —  HOW  THE  BLESSED  DAY  OF 
REST  WAS  SPENT  IN  THE  ARMY. 

44rTpO-MORROW'S  Sunday,  ye  know,"  said  the 
Orderly  of  Company  Q  one  Saturday 
night  at  roll-call. 

This  was  in  the  nature  of  news  to  the  boys.  But 
for  the  announcement  very  few  of  them  would  have 
known  it.  The  Orderly  was  not  distinguished  for 
his  piety,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  the  approach  of 
Sunday  would  have  occurred  to  him  if  the  Sergeant- 
Major  had  not  come  around  with  orders  from  the 
Colonel  for  a  proper  observance  of  the  day.  The 
Colonel  himself  would  not  have  thought  of  it  either, 
if  the  Chaplain  had  'not  reminded  him  of  it.  Every- 
body wondered  how  even  the  Chaplain  could  keep 
track  of  the  days  well  enough  to  know  when  Sun- 
day came — but  that  was  chiefly  what  he  wore  shoul- 
der-straps and  drew  his  salary  for.  It  was  the 
general  impression  that  he  either  carried  an  al- 
manac in  his  pocket,  or  else  a  stick  in  which  he 
cut  a  notch  every  day  with  his  jack-knife,  and  in 
that  way  managed  to  know  when  a  new  week  began. 

"There'll  be  guard-mountin'  at  9  o'clock,"  con- 
tinued the  Orderly,  "regimental  inspection  at  10, 
preachin'  at  11,  an'  dress-parade  at  5  in  the  evenin'. 
All  of  ye  wants  to  tumble  out  right  promp'ly  at 
revellee  an'  git  yer  breakfast,  an'  then  clean  up  yer 
guns  an'  put  all  yer  traps  in  ^pple-pie  order,  'cause 
the  Colonel's  goin'  to  look  at  'em.  He's  got  sharp 


208  SI    KLEGG. 

eyes,  an'   I  reck'ix  fre'll  be  mighty  pertickler.     If 
there's  anything 'that  ain't  jest   right  he'll  see  it 

fuicker'n  litenin'.     Ye  know  we  hain't  had  any  in- 
3ecfions  yet,  an'  the  Cap'n  wants  us  to  be  the'ticiss 
company.    'So  ye've  got  to  scratch  around  lively  in 
the  morrxin'  " 


"Say,  Shorty,"  said  Corporal  Klegg,  after  th£  cohi- 
pany  had  broken  ranks,  "seems  to  me  there  wa'n't 
use  in  the  Orderly  tellin'  us  to  'scratch  around,' 
we're  domv  that  purty  "much'  all  'the  ti 


...  time,  now 

e  graybacks  is  gittin'  in  their  work  on  us." 
!  faintly  at  what  he  seemed 


joke,  even  for  s 
now  been  in  the  field  for  many 
ks,  but  it  had  been  continually  cantering  about 
country,  and  the  Generals  had  kept  it  particu- 
larly, active  on   Sundays.     Probably  this   regiment 
"8?<Opl  mamf6^a%y|rnore  th&i];fne!  average  degree 
'of  enthusiasm  and  fervor  in  religious  matters,  but 
there  were  many  in  its  ranks  who,  at  home,  had 
always  sat  under  Gospel  ministrations,  and  to  tramp 
on  Sundays,  the  same  as  other  days,  was,  at  first, 
~£L  iRffte  Ihock  to  their  moral   sensibilities.     These 
were  yet  keen,  the  edges  had  not  been  worn  off  and 
blunted  and  battered  by  the  hard  knocks  of  arttiy 
life.   .True,  they  could  scarcely  tell  when  Sunday 
came,  but  they   knew    that  they   kept  right  along 
'eVery  dayj' 

;fn%iorty,''  said  Si,  after  they  had  curled  u$^ffiKr 
^fh^lanket  for  the  night,  *  'pears  to  me  it'll  seem 
^iM!o'fnice  to  keep  Sunday  agin.  At  the  rate  we've 
bin  goin'  on  we'll  all  be  heathens  by  the  time  we  git 
(%ome  —  if  we  ever  do  Our  Chaplain  haint  had  no 


fTHE 


S&BBATH.' 


S°d8  fe^bette^  fo^have  him  tkUfttd  us  piicfc. 
Twont  do  us  no  harm,  nohow.    I'd  like  to  be  hoifle 

mother,  .Jtf  tsister 
folksj    Then 


8    9dT 

ynoqu  ffa'i 


aoiteh 
oi  iud  tb 

910ffl 

ffoirfw  no 
niuT" 


9'jn9ib^do-non  toft 
ins 


srii  JB 

8B  iBOO  8ld 


ito  i9pffio  sno  h;9     .{!BO 


jump,  fer  •  theE.0>fe 
to  think  'bout  it.     I  don't  sup- 
[/pdsfe''  I-nl  lhe-:bnly  -boy  -'ri^the'  regiment  that  ff^-^e 
glad  to  -if 


210  SI    KLEGG. 

ter  be  back  bright  'n'  arly  to  fall  in  Monday  mprnin', 
fer  I'm  goin'  to  stick  to  the  200th  through  thick  'n' 
thin,  if  I  don't  git  knocked  out.  Say,  Shorty,  how 
d'ye  feel,  any  way?" 

But  Shorty  was  already  fast  asleep.  Si  spooned 
up  to  him  and  was  soon,  in  his  dreams,  away  up  in 
Posey  County. 

The  sound  of  the  bugle  and  drum,  at  daylight, 
fell  upon  unwilling  ears,  for  the  soldiers  felt  the 
same  indisposition  to  get  up  early  Sunday  morning 
that  is  everywhere  one  of  the  characteristics  of 
modern  civilization.  Their  beds  were  hard,  but  to 
their  weary  limbs  no  couch  of  down  ever  gave  more 
welcome  rest  than  did  the  rough  ground  on  which 
they  lay.  But  the  wild  yell  of  the  Orderly,  "Turn 
out  for  roll-call!"  with  the  thought  of  the  penalties 
for  non-obedience — which  some  of  them  had  abund- 
ant reason  to  remember — quickly  brought  out  the 
laggards. 

Si  and  Shorty  were,*  as  usual,  among  the  first  to 
take  their  places  in  line.  They  were  pleasantly 
greeted  by  the  Captain,  who  had  come  out  on  the 
run  at  the  last  moment,  and  wriggled  himself  into 
his  coat  as  he  strode  along  the  company  street.  The 
Captain  did  not  very  often  appear  at  morning  roll- 
call.  But  one  officer  of  the  company  was  required 
to  be  present,  and  the  Captain  generally  loaded  this 
duty  upon  the  Lieutenants  "turn  about."  If  he  did 
show  up,  he  would  go  back  to  bed  and  snooze  for  an 
hour  while  the  cook  was  getting  breakfast.  If  one 
of  the  men  did  that  he  would  soon  be  promenading 
with  a  rail  on  his  shoulder  or  standing  on  a  barrel 
with  a  stick  or  a  bayonet  tied  in  his  mouth. 


'THE    SWEET    SABBATH.' 


211 


"I  think  that's  a  fust  rate  notion  to  mount  the 
guards,"  said  Si  to  Shorty  as  they  sat  on  a  rail  by 
the  fire  making  coffee  and  frying  bacon.  "It'll  be  so 
much  better  'n  walkin'  back  'n'  forrard  on  the  beats. 
Wonder  'f  they'll  give  us  hosses  or  mules  to  ride." 


SO  STRAIGHT  HE  LEANED  BACKWARD. 

"I'd  like  to  know  what  put  that  idee  into  yer 
head,"  said  Shorty. 

"Why,  didn't  the  Ord'ly  say  last  night  there  'd 
be  guard-mountin'  at  9  o'clock  this  mornin'?  I 
s'posed  that  fer  a  man  to  be  mounted  meant  strad- 
dlin'  a  hoss  or  s'mother  kind  of  an  animal." 

"Ain't  ye  never  goin'  to  larn  nuthin',"  said  Shorty, 


212  SI    KLEGG. 

with  a  laugh.  Guard-mountin'  don't  mean  fer  the 
men  to  git  on  hosses.  It's  only  the  name  they  gives 
it  in  the  Army  Reggelations.  Dunno  why  they  calls 
it  that,  'nless  it's  'cause  the  guards  has  to  'mount' 
anybody  that  tries  to  pass  'thout  the  countersign. 
But  don't  ye  fool  yerself  with  thinkin'  yer  goin'  to 
get  to  ride.  We'll  keep  pluggin'  along  afoot,  on 
guard  or  anywhere  else,  same's  we  have  all  the  time." 

Thus  rudely  was  shattered  another  of  Si  Klegg's 
bright  illusions. 

The  whole  regiment  turned  out  to  witness  the 
ceremony  of  guard-mounting.  It  was  the  first  time 
the  exigencies  of  the  campaign  had  permitted  the 
200th  Ind.  to  do  this  in  regular  style.  The  Adjutant 
was  the  most  important  personage,  and  stood  so 
straight  that  he  narrowly  escaped  falling  over  back- 
ward. In  order  to  guard  against  making  a  mess  of 
it,  he  had  spent  half  the  night  rehearsing  the  var- 
ious commands  in  his  tent.  Thus  prepared,  he  man- 
aged to  get  through  it  in  very  fair  shape. 

The  next  thing  on  the  program  for  the  day  was 
the  inspection.  The  boys  had  been  industriously 
engaged  in  cleaning  up  their  muskets  and  accouter- 
ments,  and  putting  their  scanty  wardrobes  in  pre- 
sentable "condition.  "  In  arranging  his  knapsack  for 
the  Colonel's  eye,  each  man  carefully  laid  a  clean 
*  shirt) 'iff  heTiacTb'he,'  on  the1  top.  The  garments  that 
were  not  clean  he  either  stowed  a*way  in  the  tent  or 
1  puV  aV  tne^bbtiJom  of 'the1  knapsack.'  -fn  this  he  was 
1  actuated' "by  trie  sam6  principle  'that -prompts  the 
'thrifty  farmer  to  put  the  biggest -apple's"  and  straw- 
berries at' the  top  o'fhik'nh'easur'e.'"  •••  •'  * 

Tiie '  clothing '  of  'the'  Regiment  was  •  already  <  in  an 


"THE    SWEET    SABBATH."  213 

advanced  stage  of  demoralization.  It  was  of  the 
"shoddy"  sort  that  a  good  hard  wind  would  almost 
blow  to  pieces. 

Corporal  Klegg  was  anxious  that  not  only  his 
person,  but  all  his  belongings,  should  make  as  good 
an  appearance  as  possible.  He  put  on  the  best  and 
cleanest  garments  he  had,  and  then  betook  himself 
to  fixing  his  knapsack  so  it  would  pass  muster. 

"Them  duds  is  a  bad  lot,"  he  said  to  Shorty,  cast- 
ing rueful  glances  at  the  little  heap  of  soiled  and 
ragged  clothes.  "Purty  hard  to  make  a  decent  show 
with  them  things." 

"_"Wait  a  minute,"  said  Shorty,  l'an'  I'll'stibw  ye 
a  little  trick." 

i  Taking  his  poncho  under  his  arm,  'Shorty  went 
tp  the  rear  of  the  camp,  where  the  mules  were'f eed- 
ing,  and  presently  returned  with  a  bunch'  of '  lia^.' ' 

"What  ye  gojn'  to  do  with  that?"  asked  Si/ 

"You  jest  dp  's  I  tell  ye,  and  don't  ask 'no  ques- 
tions. Cram  some  o'  this  hav  into  yer  knapsack  'h' 
fill  'er  up  'n'  then  put  a  shirt  or  suthih',  the  "best 
ye  kin  find,  on  top,  'n'  the  Colonel  'II  think^'she^s 
full  o'  clothes  r,ight  from  the  laundry.  1%  'gbin'  *to 
,fix  mine  that  way. 

"Shorty,  you're  a  trump!"  said  Si,  approvingly. 
"That  '11  be  a  bully  scheme." 

It  required  but  a  few  minutes  to 'carry  outline 
plan.  The  hay  was  stuffed  into  the  knapsack','  a'nd 
all  vagrant  spears  were  carefully  tucked  in. 

Then  a  garment,  folded  so  as  to  conceal  its  worst 
features,  was  nicely  spread  over  the  tiayi  the  flaps 
were  closed  and  buckled,  and  the  young  itdosiers 
were  ready  for  inspection. 


214  SI    KLEGG. 

"S'posen  the  Colonel  sh'd  take  a  notion  to  ^° 
pokin'  down  into  them  knapsacks,"  said  Si;  "don't 
ye  think  it'd  be  purty  cold  weather  for  us?" 

"P'r'aps  it  mout,"  answered  Shorty;  "but  we've 
got  ter  take  the  chances.  He's  got  seven  or  eight 
hundred  knapsacks  to  'nspect,  'n'  I  don't  b'lieve  he'll 
stick  his  nose  down  into  very  many  on  'em!" 

At  the  appointed  time  the  battalion  was  formed 
and  the  inspection  was  gone  through  with  in  good 
style.  The  Colonel  and  the  field  and  staff  officers, 
escorted  by  the  Captain  of  each  successive  company, 
moved  gradually  between  the  ranks,  their  swords 
dangling  around  and  getting  mixed  up  with  their 
legs.  The  soldiers  stood  facing  inward  like  so  many 
wooden  men,  with  their  open  knapsacks  lying  upon 
the  ground  at  their  feet.  The  Colonel  looked  sharply 
right  and  left,  stopped  now  and  then  to  commend  a 
soldier  whose  "straps"  were  in  particularly  good 
condition,  or  to  "go  for"  another  whose  slouchy  ap- 
pearance betokened  untidy  habits.  If  a  button  was 
missing,  or  a  shoe  untied,  his  eye  was  keen  to  detect 
it,  and  a  word  of  reproof  was  administered  to  the 
delinquent. 

As  the  Colonel  started  down  the  line  of  Company 
Q  Si  watched  him  out  of  the  corners  of  his  eyes  with 
no  little  anxiety.  His  heart  thumped  as  he  saw 
him  occasionally  stoop  and  fumble  over  the  contents 
of  a  knapsack,  evidently  to  test  the  truth  of  Long- 
fellow's declaration  that  "things  are  not  what  they 
seem."  What  if  the  Colonel  should  go  down  into  the 
bowels  of  Si's  knapsack !  Si  fairly  shuddered  at  the 
thought. 

Si,  being  the  shortest  of  the  Corporals,  was  at  the 


rTHE    SWEET    SABBATH. 


215 


foot  of  the  company,  while  Shorty,  on  account  of  his 
hight,  was  well  up  toward  the  head.  Si  almost 
fainted  when  he  saw  the  Colonel  stop  in  front  of 
his  "pard"  and  make  an  examination  of  his  fat- 
looking  knapsack.  Military  official  dignity  gave  way 
when  the  removal  of  the  single  garment  exposed  the 
stuffing  of  hay.  The  officers  burst  into  a  laugh  at 
the  unexpected  revelation,  while  the  boys  on  either 


SI  ALMOST  FAINTED  WHEN  THE  COLONEL  STOPPED. 

side  almost  exploded  in  their  enjoyment  of  Shorty's 
discomfiture. 

"Captain,"  said  the  Colonel,  with  as  much  stern- 
ness as  he  could  command,  "as  soon  as  your  com- 
pany is  dismissed  detail  a  guard  to  take  charge  of 
this  man.  Have  him  take  the  hay  out  of  his  knap- 
sack and  fill  it  with  stones— and  see  that  it  is  filled 
full.  Have  this  man  put  it  on  and  march  him  up  and 


218 


the  company  street  till  church-call,  and  then 
take  him-  to. -hear  the  Chaplain;  He,  needs  to  be 
Jpffe&ehed  rtb.  ••••:,-  Perhaps,  between  the  knapsack-drill 
and  the  Chaplain,  we  can  straighten  him  out." 

Corporal  Klegg  heard  all  this,  and  he  wished  the 
ground  might  open  and  swallow7  him,  "These  stripes 
is;  gx>?ie  this  time,  sure!"  he  said  to  himself,  as  he 
laoked  at  the  chevrons  on  his  arm.  "But  there's  no 
use  givin'  yourself  away,  Si.  Brace  up,  'n'  mebbe  the 
Co^^Ji.^sJdB^Y^^  /7r>  r^ 

Si  had  been  badly ,  shaken  up  by  the  Colonel's 
episode  with  Shorty,  but  by  a  great  effort  he  gath- 
ered .himself  together  and;  was  at  his  best,  externally, 
when  the  Colonel  reached  him.  though  his  thoughts 
in  a  raging1  condition.  His  face  was  clean  and 
rosy,  and  his  general  make-up  was  as  good  as  could 
be  expected  under  the  circumstances. 

^;The. 'Colonel, had  always  remembered  Si  as  the 
soldier  he  had  promoted  to  be  a  Corporal  for  his 
gallantry  in  the,  little  skirmish  a  few  days  before. 
As  he  came  up  he  greeted  the  Corporal  with  a  smile 
and  a  nod  of  recognition."  He  was  evidently  pleased 
"at  his  tidy  appearance.  He  cast  a  glance  at  the 
voluptuous  knapsack,  and  Si's  heart  seemed  to  sink 
away  down  into  his  shoes. 

8- g«£r£^e](|ajt$s  smiled  on  Si  that  day.  The  Colonel 
turned  to  the  Captain  and  told  him  that  Corporal 
Klegg  was  the  model  soldier  of  Company  Q.  Si 
wagvtheh happiest  man  in  the  universe  at  that  precise 
rm)i#§ $£do  It  rwas  not  on  account  of  the  compliment 
tla«9;  (Colonel  had  paid  him,  but  because  his  knapsack 
lia<i  escaped  a  critical  inspection  of  its  contents. 

3  marched  back 


'THE    SWEET    SABBATH/' 


217 


to  its  quarters  arid  was  dismissed.  Poor '  Shorty  was 
soon  tramping  to  and  fro;  under  guard,  Mimping 
his  back  to  ease  the  load  that  had  been  put  upotfrit; 
Si  was  very  sorry  for  him,  and  at  the 'same' time  felt 


.I.Kfff   .li 

Ml        M.I  Ihl^ 

SHORTY  WAS  THERE  — i  WITH  A  <}U.ARDir  *  1 «    n  M  i 

h...  >il    ,:,,!!         bawotl 

d  giow  of  pleasure  at  the  thought  that  it  was-no^ 
hi1,  own  knapsack  instead  of  Shorty's  that  the  Col- 
on^ hacj  e^amined^  Pe  could  not  help  feeling,  Ijoo, 
tk';>,  it  was  a  great  joke  on  Shorty  jto/be  qaugjjt  m 
hi?  own  trap. 

ohorty  took  his  medicine  like  a  man,1  marching  up 


218  SI    KLEGG. 

and  down  the  row  of  tents  bravely  and  patiently, 
unheeding  the  gibes  and  jeers  of  his  hard-heart  ed 
comrades. 

The  bugle  sounded  the  call  for  religious  services. 
Shorty  was  not  in  a  frame  of  mind  that  fitted  him 
for  devout  worship.  In  fact,  few  in  the  regiment 
had  greater  need  of  the  regenerating  influence.  He 
had  never  been  inside  of  a  church  but  two  or  three 
times  in  his  life,  and  he  really  felt  that  to  be  com- 
pelled to  go  and  listen  to  the  Chaplain's  sermon  A/as 
the  hardest  part  of  the  double  punishment  the  Col- 
onel had  inflicted  upon  him. 

The  companies  were  all  marched  to  a  wooded  knoll 
just  outside  the  camp.  Shorty  went  by  himself,  save 
the  companionship  of  the  guard,  with  fixed  bayonet. 
He  had  been  permitted  to  leave  his  knapsack  be 
hind.  He  was  taken  to  a  point  near  the  Chaplain, 
that  he  might  get  the  full  benefit  of  the  preacher's 
words. 

Under  the  spreading  trees,  whose  foliage  was  bril- 
liant with  the  hues  of  Autumn,  in  the  mellow  sun- 
shine of  that  October  day  the  men  seated  themselves 
upon  the  ground  to  hear  the  Gospel  preached.  The 
Chaplain,  in  his  best  uniform,  stood  and  prayed  fer- 
vently for  Divine  guidance  and  protection  and  bless- 
ing, while  the  soldiers  listened,  with  heads  reverently 
bowed.  Then  he  gave  out  the  familiar  Methodist 
hymn, 

"Am  I  a  soldier  of  the  cross," 

and  all  joined  in  the  old  tune  "Balerma,"  their  voices 
swelling  in  mighty  chorus.  As  they  sang, 

"Are  there  no  foes  for  me  to  face?" 


"THE    SWEET    SABBATH/'  219 

there  came  to  the  minds  of  many  a  practical  appli- 
cation of  the  words,  in  view  of  the  long  and  fruit- 
less chase  after  the  rebels  in  which  they  had  been 
engaged  for  nearly  a  month. 

The  Chaplain  had  formerly  been  an  old-fashioned 
Methodist  circuit-rider  in  Indiana.  He  was  full  of 
fiery  zeal,  and  portrayed  the  terrors  of  eternal  pun- 
ishment so  vividly  that  his  hearers  could  almost  feel 
the  heat  of  the  flame  and  smell ^ the  fumes  of  brim- 
stone that  are  popularly  believed  to  roll  out  unceas- 
ingly from  the  mouth  of  the  bottomless  pit.  It  ought 
to  have  had  a  salutary  effect  upon  Shorty,  but  it  is 
greatly  to  be  feared  that  he  steeled  his  stubborn 
heart  against  all  that  the  Chaplain  said. 

It  was  always  difficult  not  to  feel  that  there  was 
something  contradictory  and  anomalous  about  re- 
ligious services  in  the  army.  Grim-visaged,  hideous 
war,  and  all  its  attendant  circumstances,  seemed  so 
utterly  at  variance  with  the  principles  of  the  Bible 
and  the  teachings  of  Him  who  was  meek  and  lowly, 
that  few  soldiers  had  philosophy  enough  to  reconcile 
them. 

The  soldiers  spent  the  afternoon  in  reading  what 
few  stray  books  and  fugitive,  well-worn  newspapers 
there  were  in  camp,  mending  their  clothes,  sleeping, 
and  some  of  them,  we  are  pained  to  add,  in  playing 
eucher,  old  sledge,  and  other  sinful  games.  Dress 
parade  closed  the  day  that  had  brought  welcome 
rest  to  the  way-worn  soldiers  of  the  200th  Ind. 

"Shorty,"  said  Si,  after  they  had  gone  to  bed  that 
night,  "I  sh'd  be  mighty  sorry  if  I'd  ha'  got  up  that 
knapsack  trick  this  mornin',  'cause  you  got  left  on 
it  so  bad." 


220  SI    KLEGG. 

"There's  a  good  many  things,"  replied  Shorty, 
"that's  all  right  when  ye  don't  git  ketched.  It 
worked  tip  top  with  you,  Si,  'n'  I'm  glad  of  it.  But 
I  put  ye  up  to  it,  'n'  I  shouldn't  never  got  over  it  if 
the  Colonel  had  caught  ye,  on  account  of  them  stripes 
on  yer  arm.  He'd  ha'  snatched  'em  baldheaded, 
sure's  yer  born.  You're  my  pard,  'n'  I'm  jest  as 
proud  of  'em  as  you  be  yerself.  I'm  only  a  privit,' 
'n'  they  can't  rejuce  me  any  lower!  Besides,  I  'low 
it  sarved  me  right  'n'  I  don't  keer  fer  the  knapsack 
drill,  so  I  didn't  git  you  into  a  scrape." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

SI  AND  SHORTY  WERE  RAPIDLY  LEARNING  THE  GREAT 
MILITARY  TRUTH  THAT  IN  THE  ARMY  THE  MOST 
LIKELY  THING  TO  HAPPEN  IS  SOMETHING  ENTIRELY 
UNLIKELY. 

COL.  TERRENCE  P.  McTARNAGHAN,  as  his 
name  would  indicate,  had  first  opened  his 
eyes  where  the  blue  heavens  bend  over  the 
evergreen  sod  of  Ireland.  Naturally,  therefore,  he 
thought  himself  a  born  soldier,  and  this  conviction 
had  been  confirmed  by  a  year's  service  as  Second 
Lieutenant  of  Volunteers  in  the  Mexican  War,  and 
subsequent  connection  with  the  Indiana  Militia. 
Being  an  Irishman,  when  he  went  in  for  anything, 
and  especially  soldiering,  he  went  in  with  all  his 
might.  He  had  associated  with  Regular  Army  offi- 
cers whenever  there  was  an  opportunity,  and  he 
looked  up  to  them  with  the  reverence  and  emula- 
tion that  an  amateur  gives  to  a  professional.  Nat- 
urally he  shared  their  idea  that  an  inspection  and 
parade  was  the  summit  of  military  art.  Conse- 
quently, the  main  thing  to  make  the  200th  Ind.  the 
regiment  it  should  be  were  frequent  and  rigid  in- 
spections. 

Fine  weather,  two  days  of  idleness,  and  the  pros- 
pect that  the  regiment  would  remain  there  some 
time  watching  the  crossing  of  the  Cumberland  were 
enough  and  more  than  enough  to  set  the  Colonel 
going.  The  Adjutant  published  the  following  order: 


222  SI     KLEGG. 

Headquarters   200th   Indiana, 
In  the  Field,  on  the  Cumberland, 

Nov.  25,  1862. 

I.  The  Regiment  will  be  paraded  for  inspection 
tomorrow  afternoon  at  4  o'clock. 

II.  Captains  will  be  expected  to  parade  the  full 
strength  of  their  companies. 

III.  A  half  hour  before  the  parade,  Captains  will 
form  their  companies  in  the  company  streets  and 
inspect  every  man. 

IV.  The  men  will  be  required  to  have  their  clothes 
neatly  brushed,  blouses  buttoned  up,  clean  under- 
clothes, shoes  blacked,  letters  and  numbers  polished, 
and  arms  and  accouterments  in  best  condition.  They 
will  wear  white  gloves. 

V.  The  man  who  has  his  clothes,  arms  and  accou- 
terments in  the  best  order  will  be  selected  for  the 
Colonel's  Orderly. 

By  command  of 

Attest:  T-  P*  McTARNAGHAN,  Colonel. 

B.  B.  LAUGHLIN,  Adjutant. 

When  Capt.  McGillicuddy  marched  Co.  Q  back 
to  its  street,  he  called  attention  to  the  order  with  a 
few  terse  admonitions  as  to  what  it  meant  to 
every  one. 

"Get  at  this  as  soon  as  you  break  ranks,  boys," 
urged  the  Captain.  "You  can  do  a  whole  lot  be- 
tween now  and  tattoo.  The  others  will,  and  you 
must  not  let  them  get  ahead  of  you.  No  straw  in 
knapsacks  this  time." 

Company  spirit  was  high,  and  it  would  be  little 
short  of  a  calamity  to  have  Co.  Q  beaten  in  any- 
thing. 


*THE    LIKELY    ENTIRELY    UNLIKELY.  223 

There  was  a  rush  to  the  Sutler  for  white  gloves, 
blacking,  needles,  thread,  paper  collars,  sweet  oil 
and  rotten  stone  for  the  guns. 

That  genial  bird  of  prey  added  50  per  cent  to 
his  prices,  because  it  was  the  first  business  he  had 
done  for  some  weeks ;  50  per  cent  more  for  keeping 
open  in  the  evening,  another  50  per  cent  for  giving 
credit  till  pay  day,  and  still  another  for  good  will. 

The  Government  had  just  offered  some  very 
tempting  gold-interest  bonds,  of  which  he  wanted 
a  swad. 

"  'Tain't  right  to  let  them  green  boys  have  their 
hull  $13  a  month  to  waste  in  foolishness,"  he  said. 
"Some  good  man  should  gather  it  up  and  make  a 
right  use  of  it." 

Like  Indiana  farmer  boys  of  his  class,  Si  Klegg 
was  cleanly  but  not  neat.  Thanks  to  his  mother  and 
sisters,  his  Sunday  clothes  were  always  "respecta- 
ble," and  he  put  on  a  few  extra  touches  when  he 
expected  to  meet  Annabel.  He  took  his  first  bath 
for  the  year  in  the  Wabash  a  week  or  two  after  the 
suckers  began  to  run,  and  his  last  just  before  the 
water  got  so  cold  as  to  make  the  fish  bite  freely. 

Such  a  thing  as  a  "dandy"  was  particularly  dis- 
tasteful to  him. 

"Shorty,"  said  Si,  as  he  watched  some  of  the  boys 
laboring  with  sandpaper,  rotten  stone  and  oil  to 
make  the  gunbarrels  shine  like  silver,  "what's  the 
cense  o'  bein'  so  partickler  about  the  outside  of  a 
gun?  The  business  part's  inside.  Making  them 
screw  heads  look  like  beads  don't  make  it  no  surer 
of  gitting  Mr.  Butternut." 


r  „,  u  .  SI,  ,KLEGGV  ,,.,,,,,    attj 

c    "Trouble  .  about  ypu-  fpjks  on^t^  Wabash,;{  ,  an- 


.swqred.  Shorty,  as  he  twisted  a  screw. 
some  emery  paper,  "is  that^you  don.Xpay  enougji 
Attention  to.  style,,  (figityie  £oes  £  ,  }png,  ^,-ways  :  in.  ithis 
j  vaf  n,  (and  .wicked,  world  (and  his  .  .eyes  Became.  sas,  ,;  (if 
^medjtating  on  worlds  he  had  known 
.not  so  yain^and  wicked),  'fanfl  when.I  p$$  th.enp, 
^pmQ  persimmon  knockers  of  Co.  B  hus(tli:ng  jt<9, 
on  frills^  I'm  goi^ig  to  be^t  'em  if,  I.^ou.'t  ^la^jiip  a 


.-        ,    :       -          rir>Aud   i^^Jaibi,/,    ura 

"Same  here,"  said  Si,  falling  to  work  on  ]pis  gun- 

barrel.  "Justj  as  nice  people  nioye^  jntp  Posey 
Uounty  °  as  '  '  squatted  in  Kofeomo.  Gang  '  o'  hoss 
tWeves  first  ''settled'  Howard  County/' 

^•te^collect  that  big  two  'fister"  from  Kokomo  who 
said  he'd  knock  your  head  off  if  you  ever  throwed 
that  \ip'  to  firm  ag&lnT'  rgritinetf  Shorty.  "You  invited 
%im  'to  !try^Y:on,"  an*  te  sa!id  your  stripes  stopped 
him.  You  pulled  off  your  blouse,  and  you  said  you 
Wad1  n6  strides  oh  your  shirt  sleeves.  But  I  wouldn't 
!s?ayl  it'-a^aih1  until  those  Co.  B  fellers  try  again  to 
•buck  Us^  out  Tof  our  place  in  the  ration  line.  It's  too 
•good'ai&lam  to  waste." 

Tattoo  sounded  before  they  had  finished  their 
guns  and  accouterments.  These  were  laid  aside  to 
be  completed  in  the  full  light  of  day. 

The  next  morning  work  was  resumed  with  in- 
dustry stimulated  by  reports  of  the  unusual  things 
being  done  by  the  other  companies. 

"This  Tennessee  mud  sticks  closer'n  a  $500  mort- 
gage to  a  40-acre  tract,"  sighed  Si,  as  he  stopped 
beating  and  brushing  his  blouse  and  pantaloons. 

"Or, 


THE   LIKELY    ENTIRELY    UNLIKELY,  225 

"  'Aunt  Jemima's  plaster, 

The  more  you  try  to  pull  it  off  the  more  it  sticks 
the  faster/  " 

hummed  Shorty,  with  what  breath  he  had  left  from 
his  violent  exercise. 

50  well  did  they  work  that  by  dinner  time  they 
felt  ready  for  inspection,   careful   reconnoissances 
of  the  other  companies  showing  them  to  have  no 
advantages. 

Next  to  the  Sutler's  for  the  prescribed  white 
gloves. 

51  had  never  worn  anything  on  his  hands  but 
warm,  woolen  mittens  knit  for  him  by  his  mother, 
but  the  order  said  white  gloves,  and  gloves  they  must 
have.     The    accommodating    sutler    made    another 
stoppage  in  their  month's  pay  of  $1  for  a  pair  of 
cheap,  white  cotton  gloves.     By  this  time  the  sutler 
had  accumulated   enough   from  the   200th   Ind.   to 
secure  quite  a  handful  of  gold  interest-bearing  bonds. 

"Well,  what  do  you  think  of  them,  Si?"  said 
Shorty,  as  he  worked  his  generous  hands  into  a 
pair  of  the  largest  sized  gloves  and  held  them  up 
to  view. 

"If  they  were  only  painted  yaller  and  had  a  label 
on  them,"  said  Si,  "they  could  be  issued  for  Cin- 
cinnati canvas  covered  hams." 

Shorty's  retort  was  checked  by  hearing  the  bugle 
sound  the  officers'  call.  The  Colonel  announced  to 
them  that  owing  to  the  threatening  look  of  the  skies 
the  parade  and  inspection  would  take  place  in  an 
hour. 


226  SI     KLEGG, 

There  was  feverish  haste  to  finish  undone  things, 
but  when  Capt.  McGillicuddy  looked  over  his  men 
in  the  company  street,  he  declared  himself  proud 
to  stack  up  Co.  Q  against  any  other  in  the  regiment. 
Gun  barrels  and  bayonets  shone  like  silver,  rammers 
rang  clear,  and  came  out  without  a  stain  to  the 
Captain's  white  gloves. 

The  band  on  the  parade  ground  struck  up  the 
rollicking 

"0,  ain't  I  glad  to  git  out  of  the  wilderness — 
Out  of  the  wilderness- 
Out  of  the  wilderness," 

and  Capt.  McGillicuddy  marched  proudly  out  at 
the  head  of  75  broad-shouldered,  well-thewed  young 
Indianians,  fit  and  fine  as  any  south  of  the  Ohio. 

The  guides,  holding  their  muskets  butts  up,  indi- 
cated where  the  line  was  to  form,  the  trim  little 
Adjutant,  glorious  as  the  day  in  a  new  uniform  and 
full  breasted  as  a  pouter-pigeon,  was  strutting  over 
toward  the  band,  and  the  towering  red-headed  Col- 
onel, martial  from  his  waving  plume  to  his  jangling 
spurs,  stood  before  his  tent  in  massive  dignity,  wait- 
ing for  the  color  company  to  come  up  and  receive 
the  precious  regimental  standard. 

This  scene  of  orderly  pomp  and  pageantry  was 
rudely  disturbed  by  an  Aid  dashing  in  on  a  sweat- 
ing horse,  and  calling  out  to  the  statuesque  com- 
mander : 

"Colonel,  a  train  is  stalled  in  the  creek  about  three 
miles  from  here,  and  is  threatened  with  capture  by 
Morgan's  cavalry.  The  General  presents  his  com- 


THE    LIKELY    ENTIRELY    UNLIKELY.  227 

pliments,  and  directs  that  you  take  your  regiment  on 
the  double-quick  to  the  assistance  of  the  train. 
You've  not  a  moment  to  lose." 

"Tare  and  ounds!"  swore  the  Colonel  in  the  clas- 
sic he  used  when  excited,  "am  I  niver  to  have  a 
dadnt  inspection?  Orderly,  bring  me  me  harse. 
Stop  that  band's  ijiotic  blatting.  Get  into  line  there, 
quick  as  love  will  let  you,  you  unblessed  Indiana 
spalpeans.  Without  doubling;  right  face!  Forward, 
M-a-r^c-h!" 

Col.  McTarnaghan,  still  wearing  his  parade  gran- 
deur, was  soon  at  the  head  of  the  column,  on  that 
long-striding  horse  which  always  set  such  a  hot  pace 
for  the  regiment;  especially  over  such  a  rough, 
gullied  road  as  they  were  now  traveling. 

Still,  the  progress  was  not  fast  enough  to  suit 
the  impatient  Colonel,  who  had  an  eye  to  the  report 
he  would  have  to  make  to  the  Brigadier  General, 
who  was  a  Regular. 

"Capt.  McGillicuddy,"  commanded  he,  turning  in 
his  saddle,  "send  forward  a  Corporal  and  five  men 
for  an  advance  guard/' 

"Corporal  Klegg,  take  five  men  and  go  to  the 
front,"  commanded  the  Captain. 

"Now  you  b'yes,  get  ahead  as  fast  as  you  can. 
Get  a  move  on  them  durty  spalpanes  of  tamesters. 
We  must  get  back  to  camp  before  this  storm  strikes 
us.  Shove  out,  now,  as  if  the  divil  or  Jahn  Morgan 
was  after  yez." 

It  was  awful  double-quicking  over  that  rocky, 
rutty  road,  but  taking  Shorty  and  four -others,  Si 
went  on  the  keen  jump  to  arrive  hot  and  breathless 
on  the  banks  of  the  creek.  There  he  found  a  large, 


228  SI     KLEGG. 

bearded  man  wearing  an  officer's  slouched  hat  sit- 
ting on  a  log,  smoking  a  black  pipe,  and  gazing 
calmly  on  the  ruck  of  wagons  piled  up  behind  one 
stalled  in  the  creek,  which  all  the  mules  they  could 
hitch  to  it  had  failed  to  pull  out. 

It  was  the  Wagon  Master,  and  his  calmness  was 
that  of  exhaustion.  He  had  yelled  and  sworn  him- 
self dry,  and  was  collecting  another  fund  of  abuse  to 
spout  at  men  and  animals. 

"Here,  why  don't  you  git  a  move  on  them  wag- 
ons?" said  Si  hotly,  for  he  was  angered  at  the  man's 
apparent  indifference. 

"  'Tend  to  your  own  business  and  I'll  tend  to 
mine,"  said  the  Wagon  Master,  sullenly,  without  re- 
moving his  pipe  or  looking  at  Si. 

"Look  here,  I'm  a  Corporal,  commanding  the  ad- 
vance guard,"  said  Si.  "I  order  you" 

This  seemed  to  open  the  fountains  of  the  man's 
soul. 

"You  order  me?"  he  yelled,  "you  splay-footed, 
knock-kneed,  chuckled-headed  paper-collared,  white- 
gloved  sprat  from  a  milk-sick  prairie.  Corporal ! 
I  outrank  all  the  Corporals  from  here  to  Christmas 
of  next  year." 

"The  gentleman  seems  to  have  something  on  his 
mind,"  grinned  Shorty.  "Mebbe  his  dinner  didn't 
set  well." 

"Shorty?"  inquired  Si,  "how  does  a  Wagon  Master 
rank?  Seems  to  me  nobody  lower'n  a  Brigadier- 
General  should  dare  talk  to  me  that  way." 

"Dunno,"  answered  Shorty,  doubtfully.  "Seems 
as  if -I'd  heard  some  of  them  Wagon  Masters  rank 
as  Kurnels.  He  swears  like  one," 


THE    LIKELY    ENTIRELY    UNLIKELY.  229 

"Corporal!"  shouted  the  Wagon  Master  with  in- 
finite scorn.  "Measly  $2-a-month  water  toter  for 
the  camp-guard,  order  me!"  and  he  went  off  into  a 
rolling  stream  of  choice  "army  language." 

"He  must  certainly  be  a  Kurnel,"  said  Shorty. 

"Here,"  continued  the  Wagon  Master,  "if  you 
don't  want  them  two  shoat-brands  jerked  off  en  you, 
jump  in  and  get  them  wagons  acrost.  That's  what 
you  were  sent  to  do.  Hump  yourself,  if  you  know 
what's  good  for  you.  I've  done  all  I  can.  Now  it's 
your  turn." 

Dazed  and  awed  by  the  man's  authoritativeness 
the  boys  ran  down  to  the  water  to  see  what  was  the 
trouble. 

They  found  the  usual  difficulty  in  Southern  cross- 
ings. The  stupid  tinkerers  with  the  road  had  sought 
to  prevent  it  running  down  into  the  stream  by  laying 
a  log  at  the  edge  of  the  water.  This  was  an  enor- 
mous one  two  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  chuckhole  be- 
fore it,  formed  by  the  efforts  of  the  teams  to  mount 
the  log.  The  heavily  laden  ammunition  wagon  had 
its  hub  below  the  top  of  the  log,  whence  no  amount 
of  mule-power  could  extricate  it. 

Si,  with  Indiana  commonsense,  saw  that  the  only 
help  was  to  push  the  wagon  back  and  lay  a  pile  of 
poles  to  make  a  gradual  ascent.  He  and  the  rest 
laid  their  carefully  polished  muskets  on  dry  leaves 
at  the  side,  pulled  off  their  white  gloves,  and  send- 
ing two  men  to  hunt  thru  the  wagons  for  axes  to 
cut  the  poles,  Si  and  Shorty  roused  up  the  stupid 
teamsters  to  unhitch  the  mules  and  get  them  behind 
the  wagon  to  pull  it  back.  Alas  for  their  carefully 
brushed  pantaloons  and  well-blackened  shoes,  which 
did  not  last  a  minute  in  the  splashing  mud, 


230  SI     KLEGG. 

The  Wagon  Master  had  in  the  meanwhile  laid  in 
a  fresh  supply  of  epithets  and  had  a  fresh  batch  to 
swear  at.  He  stood  up  on  the  bank  and  yelled  pro- 
fane injunctions  at  the  soldiers  like  a  Mississippi 
River  Mate  at  a  boat  landing.  They  would  not  work 
fast  enough  for  him,  nor  do  the  right  thing. 

The  storm  at  last  burst.  November  storms  in 
Tennessee  are  like  the  charge  of  a  pack  of  wolves 
upon  a  herd  of  buffalo.  There  are  wild,  furious 
rushes,  alternating  with  calmer  intervals.  The  rain 
came  down  for  a  few  minutes  as  if  it  would  beat 
the  face  off  the  earth,  and  the  stream  swelled  into  a 
muddy  torrent.  Si's  paper  collar  and  cuffs  at  once 
became  pulpy  paste,  and  his  boiled  shirt  a  clammy 
rag.  In  spite  of  this  his  temper  rose  to  the  boiling 
point  as  he  struggled  thru  the  sweeping  rush  of 
muddy  water  to  get  the  other  wagons  out  of  the  road 
and  the  ammunition  wagon  pulled  back  a  little  ways 
to  allow  the  poles  to  be  piled  in  front  of  it. 

The  dashing  downpour  did  not  check  the  Wagon 
Master's  flow  of  profanity.  He  only  yelled  the  louder 
to  make  himself  heard  above  the  roar.  The  rain 
stopped  for  a  few  minutes  as  suddenly  as  it  had 
begun  and  Col.  McTarnaghan  came  up  with  all  his 
parade  finery  drenched  and  dripping  like  the  feath- 
ers of  a  prize  rooster  in  a  rainy  barnyard.  His 
Irish  temper  was  at  the  steaming  point,  and  he  was 
in  search  of  something  to  vent  it  on. 

"You  blab-mouthed  son  of  a  thief,"  he  shouted  at 
the  Wagon  Master,  "what  are  you  ordering  my  men 
around  for?  They  are  sent  here  to  order  you,  not 
you  to  order  them.  Shut  that  ugly  potato  trap  of 
yours  and  get  down  to  work,  or  I'll  wear  my  saber 


THE    LIKELY   ENTIRELY    UNLIKELY.  231 

out  on  you.  Get  down  there  and  put  your  own 
shoulders  to  the  wheels,  you  misbegotten  villain. 
Get  down  there  into  the  water,  I  tell  you.  Corporal, 
see  that  he  does  his  juty!" 

The  Wagon  Master  slunk  down  the  hill,  where 
Shorty  grabbed  him  by  the  collar  and  yanked  him 
over  to  help  push  one  of  the  wagons  back.  The 
other  boys  had  meanwhile  found  axes,  cut  down  and 
trimmed  up  some  pine  poles  and  were  piling  them 
into  the  chuckhole  under  Si's  practical  guidance. 
A  double  team  was  put  on  the  ammunition  wagon, 
and  the  rest  of  Co.  Q  came  up  wet,  mad  and  panting. 
A  rope  was  found  and  stretched  ahead  of  the  mules, 
on  which  the  company  lined  itself,  the  Colonel  took 
his  place  on  the  bank  and  gave  the  word,  and  with 
a  mighty  effort  the  wagon  was  dragged  up  the  hill. 
Some  other  heavily  loaded  ammunition  wagons  fol- 
lowed. The  whole  regiment  was  now  up,  and  the 
bigger  part  of  it  lined  on  the  rope  so  that  these 
wagons  came  up  more  easily,  even  tho  the  rain  re- 
sumed its  wicked  pounding  upon  the  clay  soil. 

Wading  around  thru  the  whirling  water,  Si  had 
discovered,  to  his  discomfiture,  that  there  was  a 
narrow,  crooked  reef  that  had  to  be  kept  to.  There 
were  deep  overturning  holes  on  either  side.  Into 
one  of  these  Si  had  gone,  to  come  again  flounder- 
ing and  spurting  muddy  water  from  his  mouth. 

Shorty  noted  the  place  and  took  the  first  oppor- 
tunity to  crowd  the  Wagon  Master  into  it. 

A  wagon  loaded  with  crackers  and  pork  missed 
the  reef  and  went  over  hopelessly  on  its  side,  to 
the  rage  of  Col.  McTarnaghan. 

"Lave  it  there;  lave  it  there,  ye  blithering  numb- 
skulls," he  yelled.  "Unhitch  those  mules  and  get 


232  SI     KLEGG. 

'em  out.  The  pork  and  wagon  we  can  get  when 
the  water  goes  down.  If  another  wagon  gt>e&  oveit 
Oi'll  rejuce  it  every  mother's  son  of  yez,  and  tie  yez 
up  by  the  thumbs  besides." 

Si  and  Shorty  waded  around  to  unhitch  the  strug- 
gling mules,  and  then,  taking  poles  in  hand  to  steady 
themselves,  took  their  stations  in  the  stream  where 
they  could  head  the  mules  right. 

Thru  the  beating  storm  and  the  growing  dark- 
ness, the  wagons  were,  one  by  one,  laboriously 
worked  over  until,  as  midnight  approached,  only 
three  or  four  remained  on  the  other  side.  Chilled  to 
the  bone,  and  almost  dropping  with  fatigue  from 
hours  of  standing  in  the  deep  water  running  like  a 
mill  race,  Si  called  Al  Klapp,  Sib  Ball  and  Jesse 
Langley  to  take  their  poles  and  act  as  guides. 

Al  Klapp  had  it  in  for  the  sutlers.  He  was  a 
worm  that  was  ready  to  turn.  He  had  seen  some 
previous  service,  and  had  never  gone  to  the  Pay- 
master's table  but  to  see  the  most  of  his  $13  a  month 
swept  away  by  the  sutler's  remorseless  hand.  He 
and  Jesse  got  the  remaining  army  wagons  over  all 
right.  The  last  wagon  was  a  four-horse  team  be- 
longing to  a  sutler. 

The  fire  of  long-watched-for  vengeance  gleamed 
in  Al's  eye  as  he  made  out  its  character  in  the  dim 
light.  It  reached  the  center  of  the  stream,  when 
over  it  went  in  the  rushing  current  of  muddy  water. 

Al  and  Jesse  busied  themselves  unhooking  the 
struggling  mules. 

The  Colonel  raged.  "Lave  it  there!  Lave  it 
there !"  he  yelled  after  exhausting  his  plentiful  stock 
of  Irish  expletives.  "But  we  must  lave  a  guard  with 


THE    LIKELY    ENTIRELY    UNLIKELY.  233 

it.  Capt.  Sidney  Hyde,  your  company  has  been  doing 
less  than  any  other.  Detail  a  Sergeant  and  10  men  to 
stand  guard  here  until  tomorrow,  and  put  them  two 
thick-headed  oudmahouns  in  the  creek  on  guard  with 
them.  Make  them  stand  double  tricks. 

"All  right.  It  was  worth  it,"  said  Al  Klapp,  as 
the  Sergeant  put  him  on  post,  with  the  water  run- 
ning in  rivulets  from  his  clothes.  "It'll  take  a 
whole  lot  of  skinning  for  the  sutlers  to  get  even 
for  the  dose  I've  given  one  of  them." 

"B'yes,  yoi've  done  just  splendid,"  said  the  Colonel, 
coming  over  to  where  Si  anc[  Shorty  were  sitting 
wringing  the  water  and  mud  from  their  pantaloons 
and  blouses.  "You're  hayroes,  both  of  yez.  Take 
a  wee  drap  from  my  canteen.  It'll  kape  yez  from 
catching  cold." 

"No,  thankee,  Kurnel,"  said  Si,  blushing  with  de- 
light, and  forgetting  his  fatigue  and  discomfort,  in 
this  condescension  and  praise  from  his  command- 
ing officer.  "I'm  a  Good  Templar." 

"Sinsible  b'y,"  said  the  Colonel  approvingly,  and 
handing  his  canteen  to  Shorty. 

"I'm  mightily  afraid  of  catching  cold,"  said 
Shorty,  reaching  eagerly  for  the  canteen,  and  mod- 
estly turning  his  back  on  the  Colonel  that  he  might 
not  see  how  deep  his  draft. 

"Should  think  you  were,"  mused  the  Colonel, 
hefting  the  lightened  vessel.  "Bugler,  sound  the 
assembly  and  let's  get  back  to  camp." 

The  next  day  the  number  of  rusty  muskets,  dilapi- 
dated accouterments  and  quantity  of  soiled  clothes 
in  the  camp  of  the  200th  Ind.  was  only  equaled  by 
the  number  of  unutterably  weary  and  disgusted 
boys. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

A    NIGHT    OF    SONG — HOME-SICKNESS    AND    ITS    OUT- 
POURING IN  MUSIC. 

IT  WAS  Sunday  again,  and  the  200th  Ind.  still 
lingered  near  Nashville.  For  some  inscrutible 
reason  known  only  to  the  commanding  officers 
the  brigade  had  been  for  nearly  a  week  in  camp  on 
the  banks  of  the  swift  running  Cumberland.  They 
had  been  bright,  sunshiny  days,  the  last  two  of  them. 
Much  rain  in  the  hill  country  had  swollen  the 
swift  waters  of  the  Cumberland  and  they  fiercely 
clamored  their  devious  way  to  the  broad  Ohio.  The 
gentle  roar  as  the  rippling  wavelets  dashed  against 
the  rock  bound  shores  sounded  almost  surf-life,  but 
to  Si,  who  had  never  heard  the  salt  waves  play  hide- 
and-go-seek  on  the  pebbly  beach,  the  Cumberland's 
angry  flood  sang  only  songs  of  home  on  the  Wabash. 
He  had  seen  the  Wabash  raging  in  flood  time  and 
had  helped  to  yank  many  a  head  of  stock  from  its 
engulfing  fury.  He  had  seen  the  Ohio,  too,  when 
she  ran  bank  full  with  her  arched  center  carrying 
the  Spring  floods  and  hundreds  of  acres  of  good  soil 
down  to  the  continent-dividing  Mississippi,  and  on 
out  to  sea.  His  strong  arms  and  stout  muscles  had 
piloted  many  a  boat-load  of  boys  and  girls  through 
the  Wabash  eddies  and  rapids  during  the  Spring 
rise,  and  as  he  stood  now,  looking  over  the  vast 
width  of  this  dreary  waste  of  waters,  a  great  wave 
of  home-sickness,  swept  over  him. 


A    NIGHT   OF    MUSIC.  235 

After  all,  Si  was  only  a  kid  of  a  boy,  like  thou- 
sands of  his  comrades.  True,  he  was  past  his  ma- 
jority a  few  months,  but  his  environment  from 
youth  to  his  enlistment  had  so  sheltered  him  that  he 
was  a  boy  at  heart. 

"The  like  precurse  of  fierce  events  *  *  and 
prologue  to  the  omen  coming  on"  had  as  yet  made 
small  impression  upon  him.  Grim  visaged  war  had 
not  frightened  him  much  up  to  that  time.  He  was 
to  get  his  regenerating  baptism  of  blood  at  Mur- 
freesboro  a  few  weeks  later.  Just  now  Si  Klegg- 
was  simply  a  boy  grown  big,  a  little  over  fat,  fond 
of  mother's  cooking,  mother's  nice  clean  feather 
beds,  mother's  mothering,  if  the  truth  must  be  told. 
He  had  never  in  his  life  before  been  three  nights 
from  under  the  roof  of  the  comfortable  old  house  in 
which  he  was  born.  He  had  now  been  wearing  the 
blue  uniform  of  the  Union  a  little  more  than  three 
months,  and  had  not  felt  mother's  work-hardened 
hands  smoothing  his  rebellious  hair  or  seen  her  face 
or  heard  a  prayer  like  she  could  make  in  all  that 
three  months. 

"Shucks !"  he  said  fretfully  to  himself  as  he  looked 
back  at  the  droning,  half  asleep  brigade  camp,  and 
then  off  to  the  north,  across  the  boiling  yellow  flood 
of  waters  that  tumbled  past  the  rocks  far  below  him. 

"A  feller  sure  does  git  tired  of  doin'  nothin'." 

Lusty,  young,  and  bred  to  an  active  life,  Si,  while 
he  did  not  really  crave  hustle  and  bustle,  was  yet 
wedded  to  "keeping  things  moving."  He  had  al- 
ready forgotten  the  fierce  suffering  of  his  early 
marching — it  seemed  three  years  to  him  instead  of 
three  months  back ;  he  had  forgotten  the  graybacks, 


236  SI     KLEGG. 

the  wet  nights,  the  foraging  expeditions,  the  extra 
guard  duty  and  all  that.  There  had  been  two  days 
of  soft  Autumn  sunshine  in  a  camp  that  was  almost 
ideal.  Everything  was  cleaned  up,  mended  up,  and 
the  men  had  washed  and  barbered  themselves  into 
almost  dude-like  neatness.  Their  heaviest  duties 
had  been  lazy  camp  guard  duty,  which  Shorty,  grow- 
ing indolent,  had  declared  to  be"dumned  foolishness," 
and  the  only  excitement  offered  came  from  returning 
foraging  parties.  There  was  no  lurking  enemy  to 
fear,  for  the  country  had  been  cleared  of  guerrillas, 
and  in  very  truth  the  ease  and  quietness  of  the  days 
of  inactivity  was  almost  demoralizing  the  men. 

There  had  been  no  Sunday  services.  The  200th 
Ind.  was  sprawled  out  on  the  ground  in  its  several 
hundred  attitudes  of  ease,  and  those  with  whom 
they  were  brigaded  were  just  as  carelessly  disposed. 

As  Si  sauntered  aimlessly  back  to  look  for  Shorty, 
the  early  twilight  began  to  close  in  as  the  sun  slid 
down  behind  the  distant  hills.  Campfires  began  to 
glow  as  belated  foragers  prepared  their  suppers,  and 
the  gentle  hum  of  voices  came  pleasantly  to  the  ear, 
punctuated  by  laughter,  often  boisterous,  but  quite 
as  often  just  the  babbling,  cheery  laugh  of  carefree 
boys. 

Si  felt — well,  Si  was  just  plain  homesick  for 
mother  and  the  girls,  and  one  particular  girl,  whose 
front  name  was  Annabel,  and  he  almost  felt  as 
though  he  didn't  care  who  knew  it. 

The  air  was  redolent  with  the  odor  of  frying  meat. 
Mingled  with  this  were  vagrant  whiffs  of  cooking 
potatoes,  onions,  chickens,  and  the  fragrance  of 
coffee  steaming  to  blackest  strength,  all  telling  tales 


A    NIGHT   OF    MUSIC.  237 

of  skillful  and  successful  foraging,  and  it  all  re- 
minded Si  of  home  and  the  odors  in  his  mother's 
kitchen. 

Si  couldn't  find  Shorty,  so  he  hunched  down,  silent 
and  alone,  beside  his  tent,  a  prey  to  the  blue  devils. 
It  would  soon  be  Christmas  at  home.  He  could  see 
the  great  apple  bins  in  the  cellar;  the  pumpkins  in 
the  hay  in  the  barn ;  the  turkeys  roosting  above  the 
woodshed;  the  yards  of  encased  sausages  in  the 
attic;  he  could  even  smell  the  mince  meat  seasoning 
in  the  great  stone  jar;  the  honey  in  the  bee  cellar; 
the  huge  fruit  cake  in  the  milk  pan  in  the  pantry ; — 
since  he  could  remember  he  had  seen  and  smelled 
all  these,  with  57  varieties  of  preserves,  "jells,"  mar- 
malades, and  fruit-butters  thrown  in  for  good  meas- 
ure at  Christmas  time.  He  had  even  contemplated 
with  equanimity  all  these  21  Christmases,  the  dose 
of  "blue  pills"  that  inevitably  followed  over-feeding 
at  Mother  Klegg's,  and  now  on  his  22d  Christmas  he 
might  be  providing  a  target  for  a  rebel  bullet. 

Suddenly  Si  noticed  that  the  dark  had  come;  the 
fragrance  of  tobacco  from  hundreds  of  pipes  was 
filling  the  air,  and  from  away  off  in  the  distance 
the  almost  Indian  Summer  zephyrs  were  bringing 
soft  rythmic  sounds  like — surely — yes,  he  caught  it 
now,  it  was  that  mighty  soother  of  tired  hearts — 

"Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 

Let  me  to  Thy  bosom  fly, 
While  the  billows  near  me  roll, 

While  the  tempest  still  is  high." 

Si  shut  his  eyes  lest  the  hot  drops  welling  sud- 
denly up  fall  on  his  uniform,  not  stopping  to  think 
that  in  the  gloom  they  could  not  be  seen. 


238  SI     KLEGG. 

Miles  away  the  singers  seemed  to  be  when  Si 
caught  the  first  sounds,  but  as  the  long,  swinging 
notes  reached  out  in  the  darkness,  squad  after  squad, 
company  after  company,  regiment  after  regiment 
took  up  the  grand  old  hymn  until  Si  himself  lifted 
up  his  not  untuneful  voice  and  with  the  thousands 
of  others  was  pleading — 

"Hide  me,  oh,  my  Savior  hide, 
'Till  the  storm  of  life  is  past; 

Safe  into  the  haven  guide, 
Oh,  receive  my  soul  at  last," 

and  the  song  rose  and  swelled  out  and  up  toward 
heaven,  and  stole  away  off  to  the  horizon  till  the 
whole  vast  universe  seemed  filled  with  the  sacred 
melody.  As  the  last  words  and  their  music  faded 
out  in  space,  Shorty  lunged  down  beside  Si. 

"Say,  Pard,"  he  began  banteringly,  "you've  missed 
yer  callin'.  Op'ry  oughter  have  been  yer  trade" — 

"Oh,  chop  off  yer  chin  music  for  a  minute,  Shorty," 
broke  in  Si.  "In  the  dark  here  it  seemed  most  as 
though  I  was  at  home  in  the  little  old  church  with 
Maria  and  Annabel  and  Pap  and  Mother,  and  us 
all  singing  together,  and  you've  busted  the  dream— 
ah!  listen!" 

From  not  far  away  a  bugler  had  tuned  up  and 
through  the  fragrant  night  came  piercingly  sweet — 

"I  will  sing  you  a  song  of  that  beautiful  land — " 

Then  near  at  hand  a  strong,  clear,  musical  tenor 
voice  took  up  the  second  line, 


A    NIGHT    OF    MUSIC.  239 

"The  far  away  home  of  the  soul," 

and  almost  instantly  a  deep,  resonant  bass  voice 
boomed  in — 

"Where  no  storms  ever  beat  on  that  glittering  strand 
While  the  years  of  eternity  roll," 

and  soon  a  hundred  voices  were  making  melody  of 
the  spheres  as  they  sang  Philip  Phillips's  beautiful 
song. 

"That  was  Wilse  Hornbeck  singin'  tenor,"  said  Si, 
as  the  song  ended. 

"And  it  was  Hen  Withers  doin'  the  bass  stunt," 
returned  Shorty. 

"You  just  oughter  hear  him  do  the  ornamental 
on  a  mule  whacker.  Why,  Si,  he's  an  artist  at 
cussing,  Hen  Withers  is.  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
would  git  jealous  of  him  if  he  planted  himself  near 
'em,  he's  that  wicked." 

"Well,  he  can  sing  all  right,"  grunted  Si. 

Just  then  Hen  Withers,  in  the  squad  some  50  feet 
away  broke  into  song  again — 

"Oh,  say,  can  you  see  by  the  dawn's  early  light" 

It  welled  up  from  his  throat  like  the  pipe  from 
a  church  organ,  and  as  mellow  as  the  strains  from 
a  French  horn.  When  the  refrain  rolled  out  fully 
3,000  men  were  singing,  yelling  and  "shouting  in 
frenzied  fervor — 


240  SI     KLEGG. 

"And    the    Star    Spangled    banner, 

In  triumph  shall  wave, 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free, 

And  the  home  of  the  brave." 

While  Hen  Withers  rested  on  his  well-earned 
laurels,  a  strong,  clear  voice,  whose  owner  was 
probably  thinking  of  home  and  the  shady  gloom  of 
the  walk  through  the  grove  to  singing  school  with 
his  sweetheart,  trilled  an  apostrophe  to  the  queen  of 
light— 

"Roll  on,  silvery  moon, 

Guide  the  traveler  on  his  way," 

but  he  had  it  pretty  much  to  himself,  for  not  many 
knew  the  words,  and  he  trailed  off  into 

"I  loved  a  little  beauty,  Bell  Brandon," 

then  his  music  died  out  in  the  night. 

It  was  now  the  "tenore  robusto"  who  chimed  in 
like  silver  bells,  on  a  new  battle  song  that  held  a 
mile  square  of  camp  spellbound: 

"Oh,  wrap  the  flag  around  me,  boys, 

To  die  were  far  more  sweet 
With  freedom's  starry  emblem,  boys, 

To  be  my  winding  sheet. 
In  life  I  loved  to  see  it  wave 

And^  follow  where  it  led, 
And  now  my  eyes  grow  dim,   my  hands 

Would  clasp  its  last  bright  shred. 


A    NIGHT    OF    MUSIC.  241 

"Oh,  I  had  thought  to  meet  you,  boys, 

On  many  a  well-won  field 
When  to  our  starry  emblem,  boys, 

The  trait'rous  foe  should  yield. 
But  now,  alas,  I  am  denied 

My  dearest  earthly  prayer, 
You'll  follow  and  you'll  meet  the  foe, 

But  I  shall  not  be  there." 

Wilse  Hornback  knew  by  the  hush  of  the  camp 
as  the  sound  of  his  wonderful  voice  died  on  the  far 
horizon  that  he  had  his  laurels,  too,  and  so  he  sang 
on  while  the  mile  square  of  camp  went  music-mad 
again  as  it  sang  with  him — 

"We  are  springing  to  the  call  of  our  brothers  gone 

before, 
Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom, 

And  we'll  fill  the  vacant  ranks  with  a  million  free- 
men more, 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom. 

f 

CHORUS  : 

The  Union  forever ! .   Hurrah,  boys,  Hurrah ; 
Down  with  the  traitor  and  up  with  the  Star, 
While  we  rally  'round  the  Flag,  boys, 
We'll  rally  once  again, 
Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom. 

We  will  welcome  to  our  numbers  the  loyal,  true  and 

brave, 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom, 
And  although  they  may  be  poor,  not  a  man  shall 

be  a  slave, 
Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom. 


242  SI     KLEGG. 

So  we're  springing  to  the  call  from  the  East  and 

from  the  West, 

Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom, 
And  we'll  hurl  the  rebel  crew  from  the  land  we  love 

the  best, 
Shouting  the  battle  cry  of  freedom." 

In  the  almighty  hush  that  followed  the  billows  of 
sound,  some  sweet-voiced  fellow  started  Annie  Lau- 
rie, and  then  sang —  ^ 

"In  the  prison  cell  I  sit" 

with  grand  chorus  accompaniment.  Then  Wilse 
Hornbeck  started  and  Hen  Withers  joined  in  sing- 
ing the  Battle  Hymn — 

"Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of 
the  Lord," 

and  oh,  God  of  Battles!  how  that  great  army  of 
voices  t6ok  up  the  refrain — 

"  "Glory,  glory,  hallelujah," 

and  tossed  and  flung  it  back  and  forth  from  hill  to 
hill  and  shore  to  shore  till  it  seemed  as  though  Lee 
and  his  cohorts  must  have  heard  and  quailed  before 
the  fearful  prophecy  and  arraignment. 

Then  the  "tenore  robusto"  and  the  "basso  pro- 
fundo"  opened  a  regular  concert  program,  more  or 
less  sprinkled  with  magnificent  chorin  singing,  as 
it  was  easy  or  difficult  for  the  men  to  recall  the 
words.  You  must  rummage  in  the  closets  of  mem- 
ory for  most  of  them!  "The  Old  Oaken  Bucket; 


A    NIGHT   OF    MUSIC.  243 

Nellie  Gray;  Anna  Lisle;  No,  Ne'er  Can  Thy  Home 
be  Mine;  Tramp,  Tramp,  Tramp;  We  are  Coming, 
Father  Abraham;  Just  as  I  Am;  By  Cold  Siloam's 
Shady  Rill — how  those  home-loving  Sunday  school 
young  boys  did  sing  that!  It  seemed  incongruous, 
but  every  now  and  then  they  dropped  into  these  old 
hymn  tunes,  which  many  a  mother  had  sung  her 
baby  to  sleep  with  in  those  elder  and  better  days. 

The  war  songs  are  all  frazzled  and  torn  frag- 
ments of  memory  now,  covered  with  dust  and  ob- 
livion, but  they  were  great  songs  in  and  for  their 
day.  No  other  country  ever  had  so  many. 

Laughter  and  badinage  had  long  since  ceased. 
Flat  on  their  backs,  gazing  up  at  the  stars  through 
the  pine  and  hemlock  boughs,  the  boys  lay  quietly 
smoking  while  the  "tenore  robusto"  assisted  by  the 
"basso  profundo"  and  hundreds  of  others  sang 
"Willie,  We  Have  Missed  You/'  "Just  Before  the 
Battle,  Mother,"  "Brave  Boys  Are  They,"  and  the 
"Vacant  Chair." 

In  a  little  break  in  the  singing,  Hen  Withers  sang 
a  wonderful  song,  now  almost  forgotten.  It  was 
new  to  the  boys  then,  but  the  bugler  had  heard  it, 
and  as  Hen's  magnificent  voice  rolled  forth  its 
fervid  words  the  bugle  caught  up  the  high  note 
theme,  and  never  did  the  stars  sing  together  more 
entrancingly  than  did  the  "wicked  mule  whacker" 
and  that  bugle — 

"Lift  up  your  eyes,  desponding  freemen, 
Fling  to  the  winds  your  needless  fears, 

He  who  unfurled  our  beauteous  banner 
Says  it  shall  wave  a  thousand  years." 


244  SI     KLEGG. 

On  the  glorious  chorus  a  thousand  voices  took 
up  the  refrain  in  droning  fashion  that  made  one 
think  of  "The  Sound  of  the  Great  Amen." 

"A  thousand  years,  my  own  Columbia! 

Tis  the  glad  day  so  long  foretold! 
Tis  the  glad  morn  whose  early  twilight 

Washington  saw  in  times  of  old." 

By  the  time  Hen  had  sung  all  of  the  seven  verses 
the  whole  brigade  knew  the  refrain  and  roared  it 
forth  as  a  defiance  to  the  Southern  Confederacy, 
which  took  on  physical  vigor  in  the  days  that  came 
after,  when  the  200th  Ind.  went  into  battle  to  come 
off  victorious  on  many  a  fiercely  contested  field. 

Then  the  tenor  sang  that  doleful,  woe  begone, 
hope  effacing,  heart-string-cracking  "Lorena." 
Some  writer  has  said  that  it  sung  the  heart  right  out 
of  the  Southern  Confederacy. 

"The  sun's  low  down  the  sky,  Lorena, 
The  snow  is  on  the  grass  again." 

As  Wilse  Hornbeck  let  his  splendid  voice  out  on 
the  mournful  cadences,  Si  felt  his  very  heart  strings 
snap,  and  even  Shorty  drew  his  breath  hard,  while 
some  of  the  men  simply  rolled  over,  and  burying 
their  faces  in  their  arms,  sobbed  audibly. 

Wilse  had  not  counted  on  losing  his  own  nerve, 
but  found  his  voice  breaking  on  the  melancholy  last 
lines,  and  bounding  to  his  feet  with  a  petulant 

"Oh,  hang  it!" 


A   NIGHT   OF    MUSIC.  245 


"Say,  darkies,  hab  you  seen  de  Massa" 

came  dancing  up  from  the  jubilating  chords  of  that 
wonderful  human  music  box,  and  soon  the  camp  was 
reeling  giddily  with  the  jolly,  rollicking 

"OF  Massa  ran,  ha!  ha!! 
The  darkies  stay,  ho!  ho!!" 

Then,  far  in  the  distance  a  bugle  sounded  "lights 
out,"  and  the  songfest  was  at  an  end ;  as  bugler  after 
bugler  took  it  up,  one  by  one  the  campfires  blinked 
out,  and  squad  after  squad  sank  into  quiet. 

"I  feel  a  heap  better  somehow,"  remarked  Si,  as 
he  crawled  under  -his  blanket. 

"Dogged  if  I  hain't  had  a  sort  of  uplift,  too,"  mut- 
tered Shorty,  as  he  wrapped  his  blanket  round  his 
head.     In  the  distance  a  tenor  voice  was  singing  as 
he  kicked  out  his  fire  and  got  ready  for  bed — 
"Glory,  glory,  hallelujah." 


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